Star Wars: Ghost of a Dream
by Natasha Vera
Summary: It has been five years since the end of the war, but Jedi Master Rey Skywalker has found it difficult to move on. As the last remaining Jedi, her choices are limited with no one left to understand her. Then one night, she feels him, Ben Solo alive and breathing! She wants him back, but knows the path won't be easy. The new Republic is rising, and ghosts of the past refuse to sleep.
1. Chapter 1

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Star Wars:

Ghost of a Dream

The New REPUBLIC has been restored. Planetary systems once sympathetic to the fallen FIRST ORDER have either joined their ranks and offered their full support, or have found that joining such a new order is too difficult to bear. In the face of the new regime, a new RESISTANCE has formed, harbouring First Order fugitives and followers of the SITH.

The New Republic Senate seeks an end to the violence at all costs. They have permitted General POE DAMERON to dispatch emissaries to undecided and troublesome systems to better smooth the transition. However, few have returned to the New Republic Capitol of Naboo with good news, or at all.

Meanwhile, in the Outer Rim territories, Master Jedi REY SKYWALKER resides, carving out of the sands of Tatooine a school for young Jedi. Though she finds joy in teaching her Padawan Learners, darkness looms about her, threatening her delicate happiness…

Chapter One

Rey gasped awake, her heart slamming painfully against her chest. She moved her hand to her lips, still feeling his kiss. It was a dream! It was a dream! It had to be… She jolted from her bed, whirling around to take in her surroundings. A bed, nightstand, lightsabre, powered down BB-8. She moved her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pulse beneath her palm.

He was alive. There was only one reason for this feeling. Ben Solo was alive!

SWSWSW

Rey landed the _Millennium Falcon_ on the surface of Exegol, her skin not the only thing chilling as she walked the crisp surface. BB-8 chirped worry, and a hesitation to roll onto the surface. One look back at him, and he understood. This was a journey she had to make alone.

She did her best to not look at the forgotten Imperial TIE fighter jet, gathering space dust as it sat without a pilot. Without losing her step, she withdrew her lightsabre and ignited it, revealing two parallel gold beams against the sinister grey rock that with a jerk of the wrist dropped into a long staff sabre. Rey inhaled, reminding herself to breathe and to ignore the butterflies growing in her stomach as she neared the platform.

The butterflies disappeared the moment the ground moved and she descended into the Sith sanctuary, the looming statues of hooded ghosts long since forgotten rising around her, giant chains creaking as the wind blew over the opening. She scanned the chamber, noting every chunk in the missing statues, every avenue of the mazes. The platform reached the floor and she stepped down from it, reaching out to the Force with her feelings searching, listening.

She knew the way by heart. Through the Dark Lab, making sure the dead remained dead and that the lab still contained the dust and broken glass as it had last year. She halted at a particular pod, one that she knew with her feelings had once contained the remains of former Supreme Leader Snoke. The fragments had been moved since last year. The mangled mess had been cleaned and some of the contents had been taken. The body, however, remained rotting, half of the bone structure now visible. Rey whirled around from the pod, looking at the others. More pieces were missing. Pieces to make another functioning pod. She stalked forward, gold lightsabre lighting her way, turning where the Force willed her to go.

There, sitting amongst the black rock and dim light, was a glass covered pod fitted with wires that hummed in an unnatural rhythm. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes taking in the pod's length and width. She remembered his kiss in the night, the sudden jolt of awakening. Could it be…? She took a step forward, and another until she was running through the black cavern, the heat of her lightsabre nearly burning her shoulder and her hip as she ran with abandon towards the pod. She skidded to a halt, still breathing hard as she peered at the pod.

It was too small. For Ben, even for Rey herself, the pod was too small.

The wires hummed with life, the pod bubbling with green fluid that suspended the body within it. Rey stared at it, feeling the tears hiss through her teeth. She lifted her lightsabre and slammed it directly into the pod, her scream louder than the glass breaking. The liquid began bubbling at the heat of her lightsabre, what life was within it twitched violently against her blade and a single blue claw scraped against the glass before dropping down. With a jerk, Rey pulled her lightsabre towards her through the pod, drenching the grey rock in a bath of green and sending sparks from the wires.

Rey inhaled, shoulders heaving, then whirled around. She marched through the caverns, a lump rising in her throat as she moved. She felt him! She knew it! She knew that feeling when he was alive in the Force! She had scoured her memory for it and now she wouldn't stop until she felt it again!

Her footsteps echoed to a stop, her gaze settling on the rubble that was once the Sith throne. This spot hadn't changed much. A rock here or there was missing, but when compared to the pods, she didn't care. Rey looked around at the throne room, at the cracked floor, and the defaced mountains that had once formed an amphitheatre of long dead Sith lords, returned at the summons of her grandfather. Now she stood alone, completely alone. She sniffed, her body shivering.

This wasn't right! She felt his kiss! She felt him come alive! For the first time in three years, he was alive! She felt it…

A shuffling sound made her whirl around, staff sabre at the ready. In the distance, almost invisible against the darkened rock and rubble, was a hooded figure dressed all in black. At once, ice tipped over Rey's body, and she crouched into a fighting position. The figure didn't move, but she knew it was watching her, waiting for her to do something.

'What do you want?' Rey breathed, her voice echoing loudly around them.

The figure didn't move. But it's voice scraped a whisper that rattled Rey's bones. 'Dance with me.'

She frowned, and readjusted her grip on her staff sabre. 'What?'

'To the girl who dances with ghosts,' The figure hissed, taking a step forward. 'Dance with me!'

It spread its arms, revealing bones instead of flesh covered limbs, jerking to the side in an attempt at a rhythmical pattern. Rey started, and lifted her sabre. This thing, whatever it was, was dark! It wasn't even alive! She huffed, and rushed forward, sliding two levers on her staff sabre causing them to break apart at the middle. She lifted her right lightsabre and swung it around the creature's head as her left jammed into it's stomach, the right cutting at the base of the neck until it fell clean off.

Rey gasped, watching the skeletal body clink to the ground, it's black robes singeing from the heat of her lightsabres.

'Kill me,' The bones hissed, making her whirl around, the humming of her lightsabres clashing with the blood rushing in her ears. 'Kill me again, and again. I'll still, be closer, to Ben Solo, than you ever will!'

'Who are you?!' Rey screamed, flinging around to the bones. 'Where is he?! I felt him!' She kicked the pile of burned robes, sending clean white femurs and ribs across the grey floor. 'Where is he?!'

Her voice echoed to the cavern's ceiling and through the avenues of mangled Dark Lab pods. 'I felt him!' She cried, tears beginning to leak down her face. 'I felt him.'

SWSWSW

One Year Later

Rey descended the elevator, the wind rustling the fur around her collar. She inhaled, her tight braid bun pulling against her scalp, but she ignored it. She lifted her lightsabres, heading first towards the Dark Lab. Two of the mangled pods were gone this year. But their presence was missing from Exegol completely, she could feel that much.

She marched down the avenue, head constantly turning, feelings searching for any dark presence. There was one that seemed to be moving away from her, but that didn't matter. She reached the throne room, her body chilling at the sight of the discarded bones and threadbare cloak. Rey stepped around it, halting only when she reached the spot where he had passed into the World Between Worlds.

Rey knelt to the rock, placing a hand where his body had faded, remembering the sheer terror she had felt when his smile had faded, and his body fell back out of her hands. She sniffed, and removed her backpack, pulling from it one of the sacred Jedi texts, flipping to the page she had bookmarked.

She skimmed the page, then set herself and the book down. 'Be with me,' She breathed, closing her eyes. 'Be with me.'

She reached deeper into the Force, beyond what she had previously dared to go. 'Show him to me,' She urged, her body levitating off the rock floor. 'Show him to me.'

She could feel the darkness of the throne room, the lingering presence of the Emperor. But then there was her light, her defeat against him. She was the only balance in this place. The only life, too.

'Show him to me.' Rey repeated. 'Please, show him to me.'

Her eyes opened, and she gasped, dropping unceremoniously to the rock as her breathing echoed loudly in the cavern. She sat up, her heart breaking as she watched. She wanted to turn away, wanted to scream, wanted to do anything but see this vision!

It was the moment after Ben had disappeared, when her hands had held his tattered clothes, and tears had streamed relentlessly down her face. She had lifted his shirt to her mouth, yearning for another kiss, another moment with the man she loved! She had received none. He hadn't come back, and no one had cared.

Besides her.

'BEN!' She had wailed, the only coherent word. 'BEN!' Her agonized screams were hardly muffled in the tattered black shirt. She had moaned his name again, her whole body twitching violently and causing her to fall onto the rock in the foetal position crying and screaming, begging him to come back.

Rey looked at herself, her heart just as sore now as it had been then. Her own voice echoed in her ears, but her tears coming slowly this time. She inhaled slowly, and pulled herself into a sitting position, turning away from the memory.

Ben was alive. She knew it; she simply had to be patient and keep looking.

SWSWSW

One Year Later

Rey descended on the Sith elevator, lightsabre drawn, and chest panting. There was more activity this time around. She had soared over the remains of the Final Order fleet, finding more pods, more unholy lives growing in Dark Labs around the sanctuary. She had destroyed them all, earning for it a cut hand, dirty white trousers, and a sweating forehead.

She stepped off the elevator and stalked down the avenue, lifting her lightsabre to each of the mangled pods, making sure that not a single ounce of green fluid pooled within them.

A noise grumbled to her left, the Force telling her of a lifeform. Rey bolted without thinking, her gold staff sabre intact as she ran, the humming encouraging her to run harder, faster!

She skidded to a halt at the figure crouched in the throne room, her eyes scanning the room for others.

'What do you think you'll find here, child?'

The voice was familiar. So familiar in fact, that Rey couldn't help but straighten and feel only a little embarrassed for having activated her lightsabre.

The figure turned, revealing the bulbous face of Maz Kanata, her thumbprint sized eyes squinting at Rey.

'Maz,' Rey gasped.

Maz ignored her. 'Why would a girl with such life as you be here among the dead?'

Rey deactivated her lightsabres, and sighed. How did she always know?

Maz lit a fire, using scraps of black clothing she had gathered from a storage table dusted with cobwebs. Rey added to it, finding bones and other flammable materials. They watched the kindling catch, the flames illuminating Rey's face, showing a woman with features haunted by both the journey to Exegol and the unchanging mission that brought her here.

'Tell me, Rey,' Maz commanded, her voice soft. 'How many times have you come here?'

Rey inhaled through her nose, staring at the fire as she answered. 'Every year,' She confessed. 'Every year on his anniversary I come. I… need to come.'

'Why?' Maz asked, plopping down beside her.

'I need to make sure the Sith aren't growing anything,' Rey said immediately. 'The first three years, I came without hope. I knew he had gone. I just… needed to be close to him. To the last place Ben Solo inhabited. Then, two years ago… I felt him. I felt him breathe. I felt him touch the gravel beneath his fingers, I felt him shiver against the frigid breeze. Then… nothing. He disappeared again, and I can't explain it.'

'Rey,' Maz cooed, but Rey continued.

'I feel him in moments. It's hard to explain, Maz. But, I know it's him. I know he's alive. I don't know why he comes and he goes, but I know that he's not dead.'

An orange hand covered hers, pulling Rey from the flames to peer at her. 'I told you once that if you live long enough you see the same eyes in different people. When I look at you, I see the eyes of a widow who has just lost the love of her life.'

Rey swallowed, and looked down at their hands. 'You don't believe me.'

'Oh but I do!' Maz implored, leaning close. 'It just hurts me to see you mourn like this. Over a man like _him._'

'You weren't there,' Rey told her. 'You didn't feel what I did. It felt… like someone had sawed me in half. Like someone had taken the best part of me and left the rest to rot here.' She looked up at the cavernous ceiling, moving one of her hands across her body. 'We only had a moment together,' She continued, tears balling in her throat. 'But that moment! Waking up in his arms, seeing his smile, tasting his kiss. Each of those moments felt so unlike any relationship I've ever had! He changed, his whole life for me… He came for me…' Her whole body moved as she breathed, her mind rocketing to remember him nodding at her, begging her to trust him. Rey swallowed, 'I want him back! I want him here, with me. We could have been happy together, Ben and I.'

'No doubt,' Maz agreed, clutching Rey's hand. 'So why are you looking for the living amongst the dead, child?'

Rey looked up at her, a lightness touching her shoulders. 'What?'

'If I was Ben, then I wouldn't stay here among these ghosts,' She jerked her chin at a headless statue of a Sith lord.

Rey half smiled, but it faded quickly. 'Then why is he hiding from me?' She asked. 'Why wouldn't he let our bond come together? If he truly is alive, then he's cut himself off from the Force, trying to keep his location a secret just like Luke did. Why would he do that?'

Maz scratched her chin slowly, thinking. 'I've found that there are only two reasons to hide: out of fear, and out of love. You of all people should know that separating Ben Solo from Kylo Ren is not an easy feat, even for all the love you've had for him.'

Rey couldn't do anything but nod.

'Can you imagine the journey for one who in his life has hated both men, yet must live with them each day?'

Rey swallowed, watching a femur catch fire and break into three portions.

'Rey, if Ben truly is out there, give him some time. The Force brought you two together once before. It can do it again.'

Rey couldn't help but shudder as she inhaled. 'It took us nearly twenty years for us to meet,' She murmured. 'If it means I get to see him again, I think I can wait.'

'And stop coming here,' Maz ordered. 'There is nothing good for you among these ruins.'

'I killed them,' Rey breathed before she could stop herself. 'The pods that they made and put on the dreadnought. I killed them all.'

'Why, child?' Maz asked, digging her fingers into Rey's palm. 'Why did you kill them?'

'They were dark. They needed to be destroyed for what they were trying to do. But that's not why I did it.' She couldn't stop. She was tumbling down a hill and the only way to stop was to tell Maz about it. Her lip curled over her teeth and she hissed, 'I killed them because he wasn't there among them. I lost control…' She trailed off, the cut on her hand throbbing.

Maz took the cut hand with her other one and cradled it. 'You cannot come back here, Rey. If you do, then you risk falling to the Dark Side. And you of all people should know how difficult it is returning from that.'

SWSWSW

Anchorhead, Tatooine

Rey exited the _Millennium Falcon _, stretching her arms and exhaling. It was almost dawn, but she could feel the life of Anchorhead already teeming. She inhaled, the smell of charcoal and smoke a welcome along with animal fat sizzling gently in a skillet as she passed a home. It was all so inviting, but she knew that she didn't have resources in her home to make as tasty a breakfast as these inhabitants.

She did a mental calculation of what she had in her larder. Grains, some flour, protein packs that she'd managed to horde from the Resistance the last time she was in town. No bacon, no eggs, and certainly no one to make it for her. She sighed, feeling the strain of the journey weigh on her with each step. She wanted nothing more but to lie down and rest, cook later, or even see how many credits she had left to possibly buy something!

At once, in such a succession it almost seemed rehearsed, the front doors of the homes slid open and out walked children wearing crude armour and steel masks that covered their entire heads. Some of them had blasters, others rudimentary jetpacks, but they were all half of Rey's height and they all nodded to her as they passed. She sighed at the sight of them, and dropped her hands from massaging her shoulders. She hadn't thought it was this late in the day!

Among the masked children, a little boy with dark hair and tan robes instead of armour bounded through them, stopping only when he met Rey. 'Master Skywalker!' He grinned, halting in front of her to bow low. 'Welcome back!'

'Sennic,' Rey grinned, her hunger fading immediately. 'How're you?'

'I'm well, Master,' The boy replied, righting himself and rocking on his heels. 'I've meditated while you were away. The Force told me you'd be returning today.'

'Did it really?' Rey asked, her smile widening. Her eyes glanced over his frame, taking in not only the robes he wore when she was present, but the stun sabre clipped to his belt, the shoes made for running training courses, and his giddiness to begin. Yes, he had been correctly informed.

'That makes me so pleased, Sennic,' Rey beamed, her words making the boy brighten as well. 'Let's go meditate then run the training course.'

Anchorhead, Tattoine being far enough removed from the Central Systems as well as the unpredictable Mos Eisley, was considered by those in the Bounty Hunters' Guild to be the New Mandalore. Mandalorians and their adopted foundlings as well as those who left the Creed of the Mandalore to settle down and raise families more often than not settled in the outskirts of Anchorhead. So far as Rey could count, there were about one hundred Mandalorian Foundlings being actively trained. Of those one hundred, one child, Sennic Shad, was the only one to show enough of a sensitivity to the Force for her to reach out to his parents and offer to teach him to become a Jedi. Being formerly of the Creed, the Shads insisted that if their youngest son was to abandon the ways of the Mandalore (it really wasn't abandonment with his capabilities, but it was the word they knew), then he would learn in their community where he could come home each night and learn the history of his parents' people and the Mando'a language. Rey, not having a place for a school other than the old Skywalker farm, agreed. It was a better arrangement for her to take residence in one of the Mandalorian apartments than being out in the desert alone.

Sennic fell into his routine immediately. Having gone through it for the last three years it was a welcome relief to Rey to settle herself away from the events of Exegol once again. Meditation, a dedicated time to explore and depend upon the Force, then the training course which consisted of him running over the high arching bridges of the Anchorhead buildings, then dodging a training sphere with his body, then his stun sabre, then midday meal, and then lessons from the Jedi Textbooks before Mando'a and finally home. By now, though, he knew to expect a week long vacation around the time of Republic Restoration Day and that Master Skywalker would be worn out emotionally and sometimes physically for days, sometimes weeks. What made him especially wonderful to Rey was that he could feel her fatigue and would not ask her many questions or wait for her to tell him each step. He simply did it to the best of his ability, taking her corrections and applying them when they were needed. This time her fatigue took three days to overcome, a new record for one who was supposed to be infallible.

Once Sennic went home for the day (a full hour before the Mandalorian children), Rey would retire to her little apartment and fix a modest meal with what knowledge of cooking she gained from the Mandalorians and Mrs. Shad, then do as she pleased for the rest of the evening. Sometimes she would browse through the Jedi Texts, preparing for Sennic's next lesson. Other times she would walk around the community, chatting with some of the other Mandalorian Masters, or even some pilots as they found less expensive lodging near the training community. At least once a week, though, the adults would find themselves on their front steps, watching the endless games played by the masked children.

The Mandalorian foundlings had interesting games they played, all centred around their masks and the abilities they learned. They were not permitted to use their jetpacks at night, but they certainly used their night and heat seeking visions to play with homemade balls in the near pitch dark, and their games of hide and seek were excitedly interesting even for Rey and the other adults. Many nights, especially after returning from Exegol, Rey would simply sit outside and watch the foundlings play, scrutinizing each for signs of the Force flowing about them. There never was much, but the few times that the foundlings did touch upon the Force, she couldn't help but feel at ease with her place in the galaxy. Especially when they begged Sennic to join them! He usually played against his brother and their natural animosity was truly entertaining to behold!

But then there were nights like this one, when the foundlings were too exhausted to play, and the masters and pilots stayed within their own homes, and the Jedi texts held meanings too deep for Rey's mind to comprehend in one sitting. She moved outside, and leaned against the doorframe of her house, watching the moon illuminate the mudbrick buildings, the tease of rain on the horizon. The dry air echoed the sounds of the marketplace several blocks away, and if she stretched out to the Force, she could feel Mrs. Shad tuck Sennic into bed before kissing his brother's helmet before he turned in for the night. It was nights like these that Rey moved her hand to her stomach, her heart beating painfully against her chest.

Nights like these reminded her of the family she wanted. The family she had seen in dreams during the war. She couldn't remember them exactly, but she knew she wanted children. A husband… She leaned her head against the doorframe, eyes rolling to the stars and the trail of pink and navy blue they made across the night sky. Of all the things she wanted, a husband, someone whom she could trust, someone she could partner with and who could understand what she went through and felt, was what she yearned for the most. Someone to hold her hand, to kiss her forehead, to cuddle her at night. She closed her eyes, remembering Ben's kisses. He'd kissed her more than once. She'd felt the ghost of his lips at least a dozen times. It made her smile to think that he was in the beyond doing everything he could to cross over just to kiss her once.

She wanted a family with him. She wanted to spend her life with him. She opened her eyes, feeling a ball of tears threaten to choke her. She couldn't do that! No matter what she wanted, he wasn't here with her. The facts that she knew were this: he gave his life so that she could live. He gave up the life they could have had together, so that she could live. It didn't hurt any less. Her dream of a life with him wasn't any less shattered, and her longing for the feel of his hand in hers wasn't any less powerful.

'Ben,' She whispered to the stars. 'Can you hear me?'

She rubbed her arms, shifting her weight.

'I miss you. I just – I just want you to know that I miss you. And,' She sniffed, inhaling dust and the smell of charcoal. 'And I love you,' The tears spilled over, and she inhaled sharply. 'Tell Leia to hug you for me. And Han too.' She smiled to herself, only briefly, 'But don't kiss anyone on the other side. Please?'

She leaned her head against the doorframe, the annoying words _this is stupid, he can't hear you_ floating into her mind. She closed her eyes, squeezing the last of her tears from her lids-

She sat up, standing solidly on both feet. The Force zinged around her, passing through her in ways that she hadn't felt in some time. She inhaled, feeling the breath carry through a throat, shoulders, and into a set of lungs. They weren't however, hers. She inhaled an unsteady breath, feeling it rattle through the foreign body. A hand rested over her stomach, just below her breasts, drawing in air in a pattern she hadn't invited. Rey looked down, seeing both her hands at her sides. Slowly, she lifted a hand, and poked her bottom lip.

The feel of a hand wove it's way through her fingers, pulling her hand away from her face.

'Ben,' She could only mouth the word.

Another foreign breath entered her body, a smell within the back of her throat coming to mind. Meat, perhaps even potatoes. She hadn't had meat this week! Another breath, and she felt her jaw shift, emitting a single word:

Rey.

She clamped her hands over her mouth, pulsing breath, willing him to feel her whilst willing him to let her feel him. He clutched her sides, his fingers digging into her.

'Where are you?' She moaned, placing her hands where his must have been. 'Where are you, darling?'

She turned her head, shivering as something caressed her face in a sweeping motion.

No, She mouthed. Not yet.

'Why?' She begged, 'Please tell me, Ben!'

Soon, Rey. I promise.

The caress moved to her top lip, then a solid mass pressed against her forehead. She inhaled through her nose. He smelled of burned wood, salt, and sweat with just a hint of metal. Was he hurt? Was he by the sea? It smelled like this on Ahch-To, did he go there?

'I shall wait for you,' She swore.

And I'll come.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey look! I've posted consistently twice in a row!_

_Like it? Review it!_

Chapter Two

Rey waited. For six months, she waited for him without feeling his breath, or even his presence within the Force. He was deliberately keeping himself from her, she knew that much. For what, she had to be patient to uncover. This was the same man who stalked her relentlessly to tell her of her family name, the same man who yearned for her to take his hand and stand by his side. He would not so easily forget the love he developed for her, and neither would she. She would wait.

So, she taught Sennic. She watched him grow in his studies as a diligent Padawan Learner. She listened to the Force guide her, whispering to her what she was to do next. Each day, the Force guided her in the perfect lesson to teach him and how to do it. She pushed him each day, feeling the Force remind her that he was a child and nowhere near as gifted as she had been. She listened to him, hearing his concerns and assuring him that he was doing well.

Meditating as often in the Force as she did also had it's downsides. She could feel so many students! So many children in need of a teacher, and yet there was only one for the entire galaxy. She sighed, watching Sennic descend from his training bridge attached to a single rope. It was her hope to make him a Jedi like herself, then have him take on a new Padawan Learner and she would, too. By then, she would conceivably have a temple where she could serve as Headmaster.

She closed her eyes, stilling herself to this dream. The felt the sun beating down on the sand, warming the rocks. She felt the life of the market, the babble of a thousand voices, the strain of animals beneath the weight of packs, and death amongst the Dune Sea. Balance.

She inhaled, pleading the Force to show her what her future dreams could bring.

Rey gasped. There was a stone temple. There were foundlings with many coloured lightsabres, and even a library filled with textbooks. She even saw herself, wearing long tan robes, her brown hair streaked with grey like shooting stars. Of all the Jedi there, she couldn't see Sennic in her future! She set her jaw and searched for his light, finding his torch only as he ran to his stun sabre beyond her closed eyes. She didn't see him beyond today! He used to be there, clear and upright, a model Jedi almost as good as herself but now…

She blinked her eyes open, seeing the dirt avenue shared with the Mandalorian foundlings. What was this vision?! Does she push him too hard and he dies? Does he take the Creed of the Mandalore? Does this mean she dies before he becomes a Jedi? What about Ben?!

The Force constricted around her, blaring alarms of warning.

She whirled around, arm extended, shooting the Force out with a shout of, 'No!'

The entire community halted, the helmeted eyes of the Mandalorians turning to startle at the sight that beheld them. A single beam from a blaster shivered feet before her, her heart beating evenly as she took in the sight. Sennic's elder brother, Saron, had removed his blaster and decided to shoot the practice ball that hovered around his brother. What happened, however, was Rey stopped the beam from hitting his brother. The community gasped, staring at the red beam as it shivered before Rey's hand, the boy who fired it leaning back, then looking at his blaster.

Rey inhaled, and shook her head slightly, 'Is it the way of the Mandalore to be rude to another's students?'

Saron looked up at her, his shoulders squaring and his feelings flaring such embarrassment he spoke in rage, 'A Mandalorian does not run and play games with his mind!'

'The Way of the Mandalore,' A mechanical, elder voice called, 'Is one that respects those whose way closely mirrors their own.'

Saron immediately holstered his blaster, and bowed his head as the shadow of the Professor walked to him, her helmet lowered to glare at him. Rey watched her as she approached, taking in her fur shoulder wrap, her scratched Beskar steel armour, and her simple skirt over tight fitting slacks and tucked into boots made from a Mandalorian cobbler, the best for her way of the creed. She halted, her boots not even kicking dust on Saron's shoes.

'Who gave you permission to fire that blaster at an innocent?'

'No-no one Professor. But-'

The Professor cut him off, 'Is it the way of the Mandalore to fire upon those who have done no harm?'

Saron shook his head, feelings screaming a thousand emotions of fear, 'No-no, Professor. I-'

'Is it the way of the Mandalore to disrespect those whose ways are different?'

Saron hung his head. 'No, Professor.'

'Then why did you feel it your right to do it?'

Saron said nothing. He simply stared at the ground, his feelings of embarrassment giving way to sheer terror.

The Professor shifted only slightly, watching the boy. Rey stole a glance at the blaster shot, noticing that several Mandalorian Foundlings had tiptoed towards it, their feelings of awe making her smirk.

'Remove your blaster,' The Professor commanded, breaking the silence but only increasing the tension.

Saron did it immediately, clicking the safety as he unholstered it, and raising his helmet with the weapon.

The Professor looked it over, admiring the cleanliness above the craftsmanship. She inhaled suddenly, lifting the blaster to her shoulder and brought it down across the front of Saron's mask, turning his head and dropping the boy to the dust.

Rey saw two women flinch forward, women she knew to be the wives of crewmen newly moved into the community. She dropped her hand from the blaster and extended it to the women, halting them like they ran into a wall.

'No,' She whispered to them.

The women looked to each other, exchanging confused glances before shooting a glance at Saron.

Rey turned back, seeing the Professor step over Saron's pint sized body as he moaned in the dirt, rubbing his helmet. 'Master Skywalker,' She called, helmet pointed directly at Rey, 'You must have many chores with only one student.'

Rey glanced down at Saron, watching him crawl to his feet. She looked up at the Professor and replied, 'The _Millennium Falcon _has been needing a top to bottom interior scrub for some time.'

'It would be a shame for you to take time off your Foundling's studies to have to do that yourself.'

Sennic joined Rey's side, looking at his brother but staying completely silent. Rey glanced down at him, then turned back to the Professor. 'I'd appreciate the help,' She told her.

The Professor half turned towards Saron, 'And so it shall be done.'

'The inside of the _Millennium Falcon _is twice the size of the classroom!' Saron protested. 'It will take all day! Maybe even two!'

The Professor didn't move, didn't even seem to breathe when she responded, 'Then you shan't have dinner.'

'But-'

'This is the way,' The Professor commanded, her voice so firm Saron didn't say another word other than the ingrained response of: 'This is the way.'

She twitched her head towards Rey, her feelings seeking approval from her fellow teacher. Rey lifted her chin and responded, 'Such is the way of the Mandalore, and the Jedi shall respect it.'

Rey dropped the Force and the blaster shot exploded into the side of a building, causing the Foundlings and the onlooking neighbours to a jolt and scream.

Neither teacher moved. She simply turned to her student and they scampered back to their tasks, frightened that they should be next.

SWSWSW

Rey poured a cup of water for Sennic whilst he panted beside her, head barely lifted to accept the cup.

'Here,' Rey cooed, handing him the wooden cup. 'You're getting better at the course. I'm going to have to change it to challenge you, soon.'

Sennic swallowed the water in one, noiseless slurp. 'Not too soon, I hope.'

Rey chuckled, and began pulling out their lunches from the pail his mother had left them when they were running the course. 'No, I'll have time to come up with something.'

'Master Skywalker,' Sennic panted, but pinched his eyes shut and he panted.

'Slow breaths,' Rey directed, cold meat in hand. 'Steady yourself. Excitement's over.'

Sennic took a deep breath, then held it for two seconds before letting it out. He did this several times until his pants were less desperate, and his shoulders less hunched.

'Better, isn't it?' Rey smiled, coming with the wooden plate of lunch.

'Much,' He tried to smile.

Rey took a bite of her meat and cheese, savouring the taste of the wood burned flesh and the salt of the cheese. Mrs. Shad was a fair cook for sure!

'Master Skywalker,' Sennic asked, his own lunch half eaten. 'When will I get my lightsabre?'

Rey set her food down. After a quick gulp of water, she answered, 'You'll make one. But, you're not yet ready for it.'

Sennic wilted slightly. 'When-when will I be ready?'

'When the Force wills it,' Rey told him simply. 'I've been asking that question for a while now. And still nothing when it comes to your lightsabre. I don't know why that is, Sennic. I thought for sure by now you would have something other than your stun sabre. It would make teaching you just a bit easier, but that isn't the case. The Force doesn't think you're ready, yet.'

'Can the Force change it's mind?'

Rey giggled. 'Not exactly. We change our circumstances, we change our attitudes, we change our feelings. The Force doesn't change it's mind, it has none to change.' She took another sip of water before continuing, 'The Force simply exists, providing balance and insight for all who seek it. You just need to be patient and obey the Force as you've been doing. Because once you've got it,' She turned to him and smiled, 'You'll be unstoppable.'

Sennic gave her a small smile, his feelings flashing some sort of calm. He took his meal and unwrapped it, but Rey lifted her head, feeling an elder version of Sennic approach their school tent. She bit into her meat in time for Mr. Amlag Shad to come around the corner and peer into the tent. His usually greasy black hair was clean, but his face still wore a sand mask that left only his broad nose and eyes a sunburnt russet. He had driven from marketplace, possibly to handle his other son who disrespected the Jedi.

'Master Skywalker,' He called, bowing his head. His voice was not nearly as deep as one would think it to be, but his tone never brooked any arguments.

At once, Rey set her half eaten lunch down and wiped her mouth with the linen it had been wrapped in (she had been assured by Mrs. Shad that this was acceptable). She waved her hand, drawing him into the tent.

'Mr. Shad, welcome.' Rey called, rising and issuing a short bow, prompting Sennic to do the same but with deeper movements. 'What brings you from your stall so early?'

Mr. Shad made a quick sweep of her teaching tent. Chalkboard scribbled with Arubesh, pillows for seats, a table covered with lunch items, a bookshelf with books in old, tattered binding, and three wooden swords buckled to a support beam. His eyes swept without a twitch of his head, a trait Rey imagined he had learned as a child learning the ways of the Mandalore.

'I have been informed that my son would not join us for supper tonight,' He told her, twitching his chin to look at her. 'You would honour us by helping us combat waste.'

From behind him, Saron shuffled into view, his helmet turning upwards to his father, palms out to his sides in askance.

Rey couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the boy, but also knew that it was the Shads' way of offering an olive branch on his behalf for the disrespect he had given her.

'I would be honoured to dine at your table, Mr. Shad,' Rey told him. 'Thank you.'

Mr. Shad moved his eyes to his right, an eyebrow rising slowly. 'Have you something to say, boy?' He growled, his stature focused on Rey.

Saron tilted his helmet to the side, something Rey had come to know as him rolling his eyes. 'A message has come for Master Skywalker,' He answered. 'It's labelled as urgent from General Dameron.'

Rey started, taking a half step back. 'What? When did this come in?'

'Today, I think.' Saron answered.

Rey blinked, then turned to Sennic. 'Finish your meal, then attend your Mando'a lessons. If you finish and I'm not back, then go help your father tear down his stall for the night.' She turned to Mr. Shad who had tucked his thumbs into his belt, waiting to be addressed. 'I shall see you and your family tonight.'

'We won't wait for you to finish your business,' He assured her, issuing his best smirk.

Rey bowed to him again, brining Sennic with her, before following Mr. Shad out the tent and walking alongside Saron.

'What did the message say?' She asked, peering down at him.

'I'm not sure, Master Skywalker, 'Saron told her. 'It was encrypted. Needed your thumb to play.'

'Did it really?' Rey frowned, the two of them nearing the edge of the training grounds to where the _Millennium Falcon _and various other spacecraft were parked.

'I tried to hack it, but given that it was Republic encryption, I thought it better to just come and get you.'

'Appreciate the effort, Saron.' Rey smiled, 'But a better decision was made.'

He shrugged and continued in silence, his helmet issuing a hiss of a sigh as he looked to the watering trough that he would have to refill in a few hours to keep the interior of the ship clean.

Rey trotted up the ramp, skipping over the wet splotches and inhaling the fatty smell of homemade soap mixed with what few ship chemicals the Mandalorians had. He had done a decent job scrubbing off the years of neglected muck on the walls. It wasn't it's pristine white, but it was certainly less brown. Rey entered the cockpit, noting where Saron had stopped cleaning and started snooping, and sealed the door. Sure enough, waiting for her on the dashboard was a blinking blue light signalling an incoming message. Rey touched it, holding out her right thumb before the message could even ask for it.

A light blue beam shot out, pulsing three times before forming the image of General Poe Dameron. His hair was still a mess, but at least he had trimmed it. He wore fitted trousers and fashionable boots, a nicer white shirt that was at once too fancy for him and just right, and a fitted jacket that hung down to his knees. He appeared to be playing the role of a general relieved from war, but Rey still saw the blaster poking out from beneath the jacket.

'This message is from General Poe Dameron of the Army of the New Republic for Master Jedi Rey Skywalker,' He began. At once, Rey felt her finger twitch for the off button. 'Rey,' He continued, 'Please don't hang up!'

Rey snorted, flexing her forefinger but letting him continue.

'Look I – I know that words were said at our last meeting. Words that… well, that probably shouldn't have been said in that moment.'

Not an apology, Rey thought, chewing on her cheek.

'But I am contacting you not as a friend but as a General of the New Republic.'

'Friend?' Rey growled.

'The New Republic is trying to re-establish connections with the systems formerly of the galactic senate before the war. What we are trying do is create a trade route safe for merchants of all races and nationalities to get across the galaxy safely. The problem that we are facing, however, is that the remnants of the First Order are either intercepting these emissaries or are bullying systems into keeping them from siding with the New Republic. The existing senate has convened and, well, your name came up.'

'Of course, it did,' Rey grumbled.

'The Jedi are peace keepers, no - balancers!' He grinned at his revelation, shifting his weight. Rey thought he looked like a child watching a sea lion bounce a ball on his nose. 'The Jedi can bring balance to the galaxy, help the emissaries come home, successful or not. And…' He shifted again, looking away from the recording beam. 'And, we miss you, Rey. It's been, what? Five years since you've come to Naboo, at least three since Finn's heard from you? How long are you going to be mad at us?'

Rey narrowed her look, but the image of Poe scoffed and apologized, waving away his last words.

'Look, we -Finn, Rose, and myself- we miss you.' He looked into the camera, and morphed his face into his best smoulder. 'Please, come home.' He stepped back, and straightened. 'This message will inform us if you have received it the moment you put your thumb to scan. Please say that you'll come. This is General Poe Dameron signing off.'

Rey felt a stream of bitterness slither down her core. Of course they missed her! Of course they would insist Naboo was her home! They were wrong, and only Finn had apologized for it if only to see her regularly again. Only, she hadn't contacted him in… three years? She didn't think it had been that long! How many times had she gone to Exegol since mending that fence? She turned to the side, thinking. Three times! It had been three visits to Exegol since she had last spoken to Finn.

She inhaled through her nose, and let it out in a slow, heated breath. The Force zinged around her the moment she pushed her buns into the back rest, her arms crossing over her stomach.

Go.

She inhaled the word, felt it surge through her core. Go, the Force repeated. Rey's nostrils flared, her hot breath churning that last fight with Poe until it nestled like an egg inside her ribs, ready to crack. She did miss Finn now that it had been pointed out to her. And Rose! She missed having another girl to talk to. Of course the Professor was a woman and she and Rey got along swimmingly, it was just that the Professor was a _Mandalorian _woman, and one quite older than Rey (or at the very least had more life experience than her). Rose was just right, if not a bit too firm in her political beliefs.

Rey moved her hands to the armrests and gripped them, knowing her answer. She would go, and she would talk to Sennic's parents about taking him with her. He needed to learn the more practical skills of the Jedi, things she could only teach as they came up. She blinked, and the Force grabbed her, causing her to stumble in her seat.

_Rey walks through the desert, completely calm. She has only her lightsabre and a canteen filled with limitless water. She walks alone, towards a destination only the Force can reveal. She is on a journey only she can walk._

She gasped and leaned forward, shoulders rising and falling quickly, and her eyes bulging.

'Are you alright, Master Skywalker?' Saron's voice called, his tone one of concern.

Rey lifted a hand and waved it, not caring if the boy understood her meaning. She swallowed, eyes taking in the control panel of her beloved ship.

As of this moment, Sennic was no longer her student.

SWSWSW

Rey had washed her face and wore a clean shirt as she walked to the Shad compound. Upon arriving back at her apartment, she found her blaster belt polished and her blaster had been disassembled and cleaned, either by Sennic or the Professor she wasn't sure, but it prompted her to make an effort into her appearance for dinner. She had taken mercy upon Saron, and upon leaving the _Millennium Falcon _left him a bushel of apples with the direction of storing them for her journey to Naboo. It would show his character as a developing Mandalorian if he didn't eat a single one. Or simply his foolishness as a child if he thought to hide one and eat it in his room where his father might find the core.

She knocked on the door, inhaling the smell of charcoal, onions, and what could have been roasting grains or chicken or both. The door opened, almost causing Rey to start. She was used to Mrs. Shad's cat-like footsteps that couldn't usually be heard. Mrs. Shad wore her hair cut close to the nape of her neck with long wisps sprouting from the top of her head to almost cover her hazel eyes. She also wore a loose fitting shirt that hung down to her knees and cut in an uneven line so that her need to wear a skirt or dress was eliminated. Her trousers were tight, and were stained with juice from local vegetables and passed meals.

Mrs. Shad smiled widely, her eyes warm when she chirped, 'Welcome, Master Skywalker!'

'It is an honour to be here, Mrs. Shad,' Rey told her, bowing.

'Come in, come in!' Mrs. Shad beckoned, waving her inside. 'Dinner is almost ready.' She led Rey through her home without much more spoken. Rey always liked seeing the family home. The first room was the one where they dined and played evening games, and put up guests to their home. The next room was the kitchen that could be sectioned off to form the bathing room with a closet for a privy. Beyond that was the master chamber that was sectioned off to be Sennic's room with what Rey thought to be a cleaning closet expanded more to fit a bed and walking room serving as Saron's room where he could unmask in peace.

Rey came to a stop in the front room, her attention drawn, as it always was, to the main ornamental piece. They weren't purchased as some would buy flower vases, or statues, but they were removed and set there for their community -and most importantly their sons- to see. Two beskar steel adult helmets, scratched and bumped, rested on a cut alcove possibly for household gods, their noses inches from touching. Rey had seen them at least a dozen times before, but they intrigued her just as much now as when she first saw them.

To be together, Amlag and Takara Shad abandoned the way of the Mandalore.

Rey moved closer to them, noting that the helmets hadn't a single speck of dust on their surface, a difficult task given the fickle Tatooine sands.

Mrs. Shad entered the room, her footsteps quick if not quiet. 'Still intrigued?' She grinned.

'Of course,' Rey answered, turning her body but not her head. 'Is there a ceremony?' She asked, facing her. 'When you decide to remove your helmets, is there an official ceremony like in a wedding or is it done in private?'

'It depends,' Mrs. Shad answered. 'We didn't really have a choice. We were hungry after our wedding and so it seemed silly to put our helmets back on again.' She chuckled, then added, 'We did it in private, though. We went away from our guests and removed our helmets before each other. It really is something when you go an entire working relationship, then courtship without having seen your partner's face. I hoped he wouldn't be ugly, but… when he removed his helmet, I didn't care.'

Rey watched her face melt in memory, a sting pressing down on her own ribs. Amlag could have been an alien of an entirely different species to a human, and she wouldn't have cared. She loved him enough to abandon the way of the Mandalore, and so did he.

'You are,' Rey told her, searching for the words, 'Truly fortunate, Mrs. Shad.'

Mrs. Shad looked up only to narrow her look. 'Master Skywalker,' She warned.

Rey chuckled, 'Takara.'

'That's better,' Mrs. Shad smirked, the waved her to come into the kitchen.

The Shads, as all Mandalorians, were hard wired into upmost formality. They did not call Rey by her given name because of the service she provided for their youngest son, always 'Master Skywalker.' The first few times Rey visited the home, she had been directed to sit in the dining room, her plate always served first and without accompaniment whilst the family watched her eat. Sennic had told her that this was because Mandalorians were so used to eating alone and in private where no one could see their faces. A gentle word to his parents got them to eat with their guest. Another gentle word from Rey and she was invited into the kitchen to watch Mrs. Shad prepare the family meal.

'How are Sennic's studies?' Mrs. Shad asked over her shoulder, stepping behind a wooden counter crammed with dinner items.

'He's doing well,' Rey told her. 'He's a hard study, and an excellent shot. He will prove to be a textbook Jedi if he keeps it up.'

A pang of ice ran straight through her. She shifted in her seat watching Mrs. Shad continue spooning grains into a serving bowl. She didn't stop, she didn't even act like she heard Rey. Rey inhaled, and looked away.

Sennic had expressed interest to his parents about taking the Creed.

'Do you like roots?' Mrs. Shad asked, holding up a handful of purple roots freshly pulled from the family garden.

'Oh, yes!' Rey grinned, feigning ignorance.

'I've never known you to say no,' Mrs. Shad smiled, setting the handful down into the wet bowl. 'You said you grew up on Jakku? No wonder you're so skinny. Improper nourishment.'

'Unfortunately, yes,' Rey sighed. 'I had to scavenge for every scrap of food I got. And well, as a child, you don't really know what needs getting.'

'How horrible!' Mrs. Shad replied, her voice completely contradictory to her face. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows knitted with something that could only be described as sorrow, but her voice was completely even, unfazed. 'Your mother didn't feed you?'

'I don't remember much of my mother,' Rey told her, wilting into her seat. 'I've, tried. I really have over the passed few years, but… I-I just can't seem to remember her. She and my father were forced to sell me to keep me safe. It seems horrible, but, I-I…' She lifted a hand and touched her forehead, 'I know why they did it.'

Mrs. Shad straightened, her eyes doing the work of her face. 'You are truly blessed to have such a sight. Many would love to know the reason behind their parents' actions towards them.'

Rey half smiled, 'Trust me, sometimes the imagination is better than the reality.'

The door slid open and the sounds of stamping feet echoed throughout the small house. Mr. Shad walked in, the layers of overcoat draped over his arm and dripping sand onto the cleaner floor. 'Master Skywalker,' He greeted with a curt nod.

Rey stood and bowed, 'Amlag.'

'Hi, Master Skywalker!' Sennic chirped, scampering inside. He was covered in dust from the ride back from the market, prompting his mother to give a slight protest before he disappeared into his room to change clothes and sponge off a bit before their meal.

'How was my good son, today?' Amlag asked, returning from his own bedroom with a damp washcloth.

'He was well,' Rey told him. 'While I have the two of you, I have something I wanted to discuss.'

The Shads froze, both sets of knees dipping ever so slightly into a fighting stance.

Rey continued, 'I received a transmission today from the New Republic. They need my help and I shall be leaving tomorrow. I… I'm not sure for how long.'

Mrs. Shad's chin dipped, but Mr. Shad merely said, 'Oh?'

'Yes,' Rey told him. Then, inhaled. 'I was wondering if I might take Sennic with me. He's come a long way in his studies, but the way of the Jedi is best taught hands on, in situation. He wouldn't be put in any sort of danger, but he would be prepared if it came to it-'

'No,' Both Shads said at once.

Rey knew that they wouldn't let him, but it still hurt to hear it. 'I can assure you, this is the best way-'

'We will not allow our son to leave for such a time, at his age,' Mrs. Shad declared. 'He's a child.'

'I-I can't wait until he's older, Takara.' Rey protested. 'These lessons, they must be taught-'

'This is the way,' They declared, both rising to stand at attention.

Rey mashed her lips, and dipped her chin.

'Such is the Way of the Mandalore, and the Jedi respect it.'

SWSWSW

'It's the environment,' The Professor declared, shifting her knitting needles in her fingers, 'You shouldn't have chosen a student among the Mandlore.'

'I don't choose them,' Rey corrected, frowning at her own knitting. 'He was strong in the Force. That called to me.'

'Hmph,' The Professor replied. 'Well, you know how to mentor a student now.'

'That's true,' Rey sighed. 'It's still disappointing.'

'No, it's not,' The Professor grunted, turning her work. 'What's disappointing is dedicating your life to teaching a student who shows all the potential to becoming a great Mandalorian, only to have him remove his helmet to the first being that bats their eyelashes at him.'

'That's happened to you?' Rey asked, abandoning her tangling work.

'It's happens to _every_ teacher of the Way,' The Professor sighed, turning her helmet to her. 'And the same student wonders why they cannot return to the Way. You break the Creed, you cannot return. You can make an honest living, but be careful with whom you make that living with. Not one of those former students ever stayed with the fickle lashed. This is the way.'

'Such is the way of the Mandalore,' Rey muttered. 'The Shads stayed together,' She sighed, looking at their apartment.

'The Shads were model Mandalorians,' The Professor told her, also turning to the apartment. 'Takara Shad was one of the deadliest sharp shooters I've ever seen. Even when a Crolute blinded her left eye, she was still a deadly gunner.'

'And Amlag?'

'I didn't really know Amlag until they began courting. From what I could tell, he was a brawler. Liked getting up close to his prey and using his hands. We knew him as the Nebula when he wore the mask. He once used a cluster of nebula gas to hide him and his bounty from another hunter. Never seen that one before, or since. That was his signet until he unmasked. The Nebula.'

Rey looked at the apartment, her heart aching, then turned back to her knitting. From somewhere, someone began clinking something loud. Much like a blacksmith at their forge. The only problem was, it was late and the clinking sound was rather annoying. The Professor shook her head and extended a gloved hand and guided her needles to fixing the mess she had just made.

'There you go,' The Professor assured her. 'Patience and repetition. Like any good study.'

Rey smiled and continued knitting, the sounds of the children playing in the torchlight calling around them despite the annoying clanging of the blacksmith. Rey had suggested playing cards or even holochess when she and the Professor met in the evenings, but the Professor saw this as a form of combat (another Mandalorian formality) and suggested teaching Rey to knit instead. Though Rey often regarded knitting as a form of combat especially when the stitches seemed to have a mind of their bloody own, it was peaceful, and she got a warm scarf out of it.

From down the street, the small figure of Saron Shad shuffled into view. His poor body looked so tired! He didn't turn when the kick ball nearly took off his helmet, and he slapped the front door button of his house to let him in.

'I would inspect your ship for leftover items before you go,' The Professor purred, continuing with her knitting though her eyes must have been watching Saron.

'I have to leave early,' Rey told her. 'I'd rather it dry out tonight and if there's anything left, I'll put it away myself.'

'If you're sure,' The Professor replied.

The clinking was really getting annoying. 'I'm sure,' Rey told her. 'Goodness, why is the blacksmith working at this hour?'

The Professor stopped her knitting and looked at Rey. 'The blacksmith?'

'Can't you hear the banging?' Rey asked, clicking her needles to the sound of the clanging. _Tap! Tap! Tap!_

The Professor didn't move. 'Master Skywalker, the blacksmith has gone to Mos Eisley for three days. Even if he returned this afternoon, the forge would take some time to heat to the appropriate degree. And the Armorer hasn't any beskar to craft even if you could hear her forge from this distance.'

The clanging continued in Rey's head. She gasped, looking around for the sound. She issued a sort of dismissal to the Professor, wrapping her work around her needles and grabbing her ball of yarn before heading off towards the sound. It was near her apartment, drawing her between the buildings to the desert. She stopped, the breath leaving her body. She felt her knitting fall, the yarn rolling to who cared where.

That workshop was not there this morning! There was no way it could have been set up in one day, not with that forge, and not with that heavy clay oven.

The man who hammered away at the work table had his back to her and beat a strip of metal with precise strokes. He was tall, and had long, shaggy hair that hung passed his shoulders. His muscles bulged, carved from hours of hammering away and lifting heavy pieces of metal, and with the slight breeze she could smell his strong odour. He set down his hammer, and took the glowing piece of metal from the work table and tossed it into a wooden barrel filled with water so that the white steam hissed and floated around him. He leaned back and sighed, taking a gloved hand and wiping his face with it.

Rey's chest sputtered, reminding her she needed to breathe. She didn't dare say his name. She didn't want to say anything lest it break the moment and take him from her. He had a profession! He had a life that he built with his bare hands! She clamped a hand over her lips, willing herself not to cry out, or to cry at all.

He dropped his hand, shoulders panting. Then, he stopped, and twitched his head towards her. Slowly, he began to turn towards her. At once, butterflies attacked Rey's throat, but still she said nothing. She would wait to see him, wait for him to come to her. He halted, keeping his chin from turning and taking her in. He panted, his chest rising and falling in exaggerated huffs. He knew she was there. He knew, and yet didn't turn. Rey swallowed, realizing what he was doing. He wanted to stay in that moment, too. He wanted to stay with her for a moment longer. He pulled off his work glove and lifted the clean hand backwards toward her, reaching into the nothingness with trembling fingers.

Rey dropped her hand from her chin and reached out for him, too. She could have closed the distance, she could have run to him, whirled him around, and held him tight. But she knew, the moment she touched him that he would be gone. So, they stood there her in the sand he in his shop, arms extended, knowing that the other was alive, and that they wanted the other back.

_Please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_I did it again! I posted on a Sunday like I said I would! *pats shoulder*_

_So, in case you didn't realize it, I've got a new thing for Mandalorians. I think they're neat._

_Have fun and please review!_

Chapter Three

Rey didn't cry when she bade Sennic farewell. He, on the other hand, tried so hard not to, but couldn't quite manage it. Lip bobbing, he hugged her for the fourth time.

'Would you come back?' He sniffed into her ear. 'If I was a better student would you come back?'

'I will come back even if you are a terrible one,' She assured him, her heart aching as she held him.

He sniffed even harder, his shoulders trembling. 'Even… even if I took the Creed of the Mandalore?'

Rey faced him, taking his upper arms in her hands. 'You listen here, Sennic Shad. Only you can take the path of a Jedi or a Mandalorian. If you think one is better for you than the other, then I will respect it absolutely. If you continue to be a Jedi, then I will be there with you always. And if you become a Mandalorian, then no bounty will ever be safe again, and I will go to no other hunter than the mask once known as Sennic Shad.'

He laughed, tears breaking through. 'I will always seek the Force, Master Skywalker.'

'It will help you with everything if you let it.' She told him, dropping her hands.

'I will miss you,' Sennic murmured.

'And I you, Sennic.' Rey sighed, 'One more for the road?'

She held him tightly, a tear seeping into his hair as his body convulsed against hers. Her first student! He was going to make a great Mandalorian someday, she could feel it.

Sennic was joined by his parents by the time the _Millennium Falcon_ was ready to fly. They gave her a courteous farewell, Mrs. Shad even giving her a basket of provisions to aid her journey. They weren't a hugging people, but Mrs. Shad tried regardless, and Mr. Shad gave a firm handshake. Saron even gave her his best nod, his feelings flashing relief that he would never have to scrub the inside of the _Millennium Falcon _again. BB-8 whistled to her, announcing that he had made the necessary checks, allowing the ship to fly once more.

Rey lifted the steering toggles, raising the freshly cleaned, ancient ship into the air. By law, she had to fly to Mos Eisley tower to get out of the atmosphere, requiring her to do one last flyover of the community. She inhaled, ready to say a quiet goodbye to her little home. The moment she turned the _Falcon _to point towards the Anchorhead market, the breath caught in her throat. Rising before her like a patch of daisies, the Professor and her elder students flew with their jetpacks, providing an avenue for her to fly through. When they reached a height parallel to the _Falcon_, they all lifted their right arms and saluted her, waiting for her to pass. Rey smiled, and waved to them. She propelled the ship forward at a slower than usual pace, nodding to them as she passed.

That's cool, BB-8 commented.

The Professor was the last to salute her. Rey nodded deeply to her, earning for it a nod in return. Rey wiped her face with her sleeve and pushed the ship forward, inhaling deeply.

SWSWSW

Naboo, Capitol of the New Republic

It never ceased to amaze Rey how beautiful Naboo could be! The garden system, the green stretched for miles and miles! What oceans that were away from the main city, the lakes and fountains more than made up for. She sighed, looking over the turquoise and bronze buildings inlaid with delicate glass, surrounded by sandstone outcroppings, draped with ivy and delicate flowers. Everything was an architectural masterpiece, with a heritage that glowed in the Force.

Still so pretty, BB-8 chirped. I remember the last time Poe and I-

Rey glanced at him, watching him shrink beside her. 'Tell me,' She encouraged, clicking a button and steering around the massive domed palace.

The last time Poe and I were here, it was raining, BB-8 beeped, his sounds low. We almost crashed because the grass was slippery, but Poe didn't let that happen.

There was more to the story. Rey knew BB-8 was remembering his former master, but didn't know how to proceed. 'He's a good pilot,' Rey commented, determined to focus on her flying. 'At least when he's not setting the _Falcon _on fire.'

BB-8 zinged with a flurry of chirps that Rey took to be the droid laughing. She smiled, manoeuvring the _Falcon. _Rey flew the _Falcon_ to a meadow quay that was designated for allies of the Republic, clicking buttons as she went and hoping this wouldn't be the flight that ended the rickety ship. Over the comms system, the sounds of excited beeping and typed Arubesh sprang up, causing her to smile.

She pushed the speaker and answered, 'Capitol Delta, this is Falcon Seven Eight, is that you, Artoo?'

The Arubesh wrote out excited greetings, the welcoming chirps beeping loudly in her intercoms.

'Missed you too, Artoo!' Rey grinned, manoeuvring the ship to land gently on the hard-packed ground and stubborn weeds. BB-8 chirped excited noises but Rey ignored him. She reached her hand and began shutting down the ship, knowing that by the time she reached the main city her name was going to be passed along in shouts and whispers to about half of the population.

Rey debarked, inhaling the scent of pollen, grass, and a thousand rivers. She closed her eyes, feeling the sun caress her skin. She'd had plenty of sun in the desert, but this was always different. This here was a gentle beating, a dance over the hairs on her arms and a glide through her scalp.

'Captain Skywalker?' A a voice called, the presence of a landing crewman coming forth.

Rey turned, seeing a man with a datapad in his hands, his eyes sweeping her frame up and down. 'That's me,' She answered.

He gave an excited jolt, but the datapad didn't leave his hands once. 'Cap-Captain!' He cried, straightening. 'Or should I call you Master Skywalker?'

'Either is fine with me,' Rey grinned, turning to give him her full attention.

'Master Skywalker,' The Crewman settled, his grin so wide it was contagious. 'Would you be leaving your ship in our care?'

'If you wouldn't mind?' Rey told him. 'How much would that be?'

'For you, Master Skywalker, the _Falcon_ is docked and repaired for free.'

Her stomach somersaulted, her joints issuing a relief that could only be attributed to her days as a scavenger, working each day from before sunup to whenever Unkar Plutt closed the tradepost. She was so respected that she didn't have to pay for repairs, or even docking her ship!

'I can't accept!' She protested feebly.

'Please, Master,' The Crewman smiled. 'It's the least we can do for such legends.'

At once, her mind clanged with the memory of Luke Skywalker's cynical warning of becoming a legend. Her smile waned, but still she bowed at the waist and replied, 'Thank you, Crewman, for your kindness. I shall not forget it.'

'You're welcome, Master Skywalker.' The Crewman blushed, 'Any time.'

Rey righted herself and turned to the city, moving towards a courtesy speeder piloted by a droid for the sole purpose of taking guests from their ships to their apartments. Being as Rey didn't have an apartment, she gave the only acceptable address she could remember.

Each Nubian avenue contained a different smell. One was roses, another ivy, another honeysuckle, and another freesia. Rey inhaled them all as the speeder flew down them, her eyes taking in the sprawling arches and looming columns spiralled with some type of creeping greenery.

The droid stopped outside of what Rey could describe as a solid curved block of apartments with windows peeking out of creeping rose vines that hadn't yet bloomed. She grabbed her bags containing everything she had ever collected in her short years away from her home planet of Jakku. She shouldered them and hopped out of the cruiser, passing the droid driver a handful of credits.

When the cruiser drove off, leaving her in the courtyard of the complex, Rey exhaled a long, deep breath. She hadn't been here in years, and the only thing that seemed to have changed was the creeping vines! She lifted a foot and felt his presence surge through her. She set her foot back down, hearing the slapping of footsteps across tiles from up above.

From one of the arched corridors, the handsome face of a dark-skinned man with plump lips and brown eyes shot into view. At once, Rey smiled, her body and spirits lifting with the sight of him.

Finn bolted down the corridor to the stairs, skipping as many steps as possible without tripping. Rey moved towards him, dropping her bags gently to the tiled floor. He looked so good! He wore a dark green, long-sleeved shirt with elaborate gold printed in a spiral and leaf design over his chest, the artistry of which made him look like he had always been a Nubian.

'Rey!' He cried, shooting his arms out and scooping her into his chest. Rey said nothing, she merely slid her arms around his neck and held him close. She felt cold! Cold in the way that one feels from the inside and tries everything to get warm but can't manage to get it exactly right. But she knew one thing, she had certainly missed him!

'Why didn't you call?' Finn sniffed. 'Why didn't you tell us where you were after that last time?'

'I don't know,' Rey gasped. 'I-I got lost, Finn. I got lost in my own world and… and I couldn't leave it.'

'Were you happy there?' He asked, facing her. 'Did you find some joy where you were?'

The question stunned her. She inhaled, taking stock of him. He had lost muscle and found more fat. He was still lean, though. And he was still trying to search the tidepools of her mind by staring into her eyes. He tried and failed, so she had to tell him what she was willing to give.

'Spice wears off after a time. That can best describe my happiness. Good when it's there, but it doesn't last.'

Her words cut Finn to his core, she could feel it in his feelings and in his arms. He wilted, his illusion, his _hope_, of her having a successful life away from him thoroughly shattered.

Whistles and beeps flooded the courtyard, prompting Finn to drop his arms to allow Rey to look behind him. R2-D2 zinged with joy, rolling around the second floor, whilst screaming at a droid elevator to hurry up to take him below.

'Artoo!' Rey cried, stepping around Finn, grabbing her bags, and bolting up the stairs just as he had started to roll through the barely opening doors. He jolted back, rotating his body around to face Rey. He beeped excitedly nearly running her down as she kneeled to place her hands on his domed head, gently scratching him.

'I know,' She told him, 'It's been a while.'

R2-D2 hooted and chirped, his central eyes flashing different colours. Are you really staying?

'Just for a bit. They need me now and we'll figure it out from there.'

R2-D2 stopped his sounds, then issued a low hoot. Are you here because of Poe?

Rey set her jaw and inhaled. 'I'm not here for him. I'm here because of the mission he's asked of me. That's more important.'

'Artoo's been staying with me, Rey,' Finn told her, his voice soft. 'He didn't want to go back to Poe after… well, after you left.'

I wanted to go with you, R2-D2 told her. But you didn't come back.

'I know and I'm sorry about that. I just… lost track of time.'

Watches aren't that expensive, you know?

Rey couldn't help but laugh. 'You can keep me on time while I'm here,' She told him, cupping his head.

She stood and looked around the complex, taking in the spacious apartments. Finn had earned his place in one of these homes because of his position as a general, both during the war and after it. He could live here as long as he wanted even until death. So could she, really. But, she wasn't exactly sure how it could happen. Rey turned to Finn, seeing him already looking at her.

'Have you a place for me to stay?' She asked.

'You'll stay with me for the time being,' He told her. He snapped his fingers and looked away, remembering something. 'Come on,' He ordered, taking one of her bags and heading upstairs, 'We have to meet the queen. You have to introduce yourself as a Jedi. She's been wanting to meet you and the Senate won't be so keen on letting you on their turf without at least a formal hello.'

'Turf wars in the Senate?' Rey inquired, following him. 'Already?'

'Oh yeah,' He grumbled. 'Since they got in, just back and forth, back and forth!' He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

'Not interested in running, eh?'

'Have to have a system to run for,' Finn sighed. 'All I've got is the Army of the New Republic, Special Intelligence Division.'

'Look at you!' Rey grinned. 'All fancy and entitled!'

Finn couldn't hide his smile. 'Well, I'm not just a pretty face!'

They reached his apartment, the door opening at his touch. Finn's apartment was a vast, open home with two stories and access to a shared swimming pool below. The floors were glossy pale yellow tiles outlined with dark mosaic Arubesh pReyers of welcome. His furniture was of heavy wood with white cushions, all low to the ground with some form of bronze metal twisted around them. He had few table ornaments, he wasn't much of a collector, but those that he did have were of decent quality.

'Girls are upstairs,' He told her, turning towards a more majestic staircase. 'Do you have another outfit you can wear to meet the Queen?'

They both looked down at her simple homespun, sand stained outfit that was a version of every outfit she had ever worn since the war: a simple v-neck blouse with half sleeves, capris, gauze wrapped around her body and tucked into her belt, gauze wrist wraps beneath leather bracers, and of course her blaster holster and lightsabre.

'Erm,' Rey grumbled. 'A cleaner one of this?'

'We have to meet her today, but we weren't given a specific time,' Finn told her, smiling sheepishly. 'If you get cleaned up, I'll see what we can do about your wardrobe.'

'Sure,' Rey smiled.

Rey's room was bigger than the Shad's home and hers combined! It couldn't have been the master chamber because of her surprise arrival, but she wasn't certain that the other rooms were any smaller. Her belongings fit into one bureau, and her bathroom could have been a small swimming pool with appropriate seating for sunbathers as well.

She took a full bath, lathering her dry skin with the delicate soaps and oils left there for her. She wondered as she inhaled the fragrant bubbles how Finn knew what to get for her when he didn't know she was going to come. Perhaps he had a lady friend he hadn't told her about. Or, more likely, he kept them on hand for when she did come around. She submerged herself, listening to the stillness of the water, the creaks and shifts of her feet against the smooth bottom of the pool. She rocketed up through the surface, inhaling deeply and sighing. She had never had a bath such as this before!

She ran her fingers and a comb her hair, swearing that the drain was going to get clogged with what felt like ten pounds of sand finally scrubbed from her scalp. She lathered it with more soap, familiar with these bottles at least. She shaved her legs and pumiced her feet until they looked somewhat free of the callouses (she doubted her feet would be examined by the Queen, but that didn't stop her from scrubbing anyway). After towelling off, she grabbed the manicure set and sheared off broken nails and smoothed chipped ones.

There must be a lady, Rey thought, dressing in her cleaner clothes. A man wouldn't have thought of these for a bath!

When she walked out of the bathroom, BB-8 was rolling in with a turquoise box tied to his head by a gold ribbon undoubtedly given by the dressmaker but repurposed for the droid with no hands. Rey giggled as she unwrapped the ribbon, freeing him of the burden. It was heavy! No doubt containing matching shoes, Rey dumped the contents of the box onto her massive bed. She gasped, watching what looked like a white cloak and a heap of airy white and gold fabric descend with elaborate white high heels in tow. She set the box aside and picked up the dress.

The bodice was thick white satin and would cover her breasts before being cut off by a floral belt and descending into a gold silk underskirt covered by a white chiffon overskirt. The sleeves wouldn't cover her shoulders, but they would flow down passed her hands to her knees in a dramatic fashion. The high heels were open-toed and bore a lace design around the top of the shoe before crisscrossing thin silk thread over her foot to secure at the ankle.

Holding that gown made Rey realize that she had never actually worn a dress before, let alone high heels! Could she walk in such shoes? There was only one way to find out. She pulled the dress over her head, smiling at the silliness of the airy sleeves. BB-8 helped her secure the back with his metal arms, chirping to let her know that she needed to fix the skirt. She fixed accordingly, feeling the hem of the dress brush over her ankles. Next, came the shoes.

They hurt! She knew it from the second she slipped them under her toes that this was not going to be a comfortable experience! She laced up the strings, noting that they were her exact size, but were not the comfortable handmade leather boots that she had worn all her life. Those boots let her feet shift among the sand, to use her toes against tiles of old Imperial ships and sleek First Order corridors. These heels were hard-bottomed, with barely a resistance against the floors of Finn's home. She inhaled, and turned to BB-8, 'Here it goes.'

She stood, and immediately a searing pain rushed up the bones of her legs and seized her throat. 'Ahh!' She cried, flopping back onto the bed, sleeves flying.

BB-8 rolled to her, beeping rapidly. Are you alright?

'Are these meant for fashion or torture?' Rey cried, yearning to rip them off and hurtle them out the window.

All the girls wear them around here, apparently.

'How?' Rey huffed, lifting her feet out in front of her.

Practice, I guess.

She inhaled. 'Fine.'

It was not fun walking across the floor in the high heels. Stomping was the more appropriate word, especially because Rey couldn't roll her ankles in natural movement. Finn even knocked on the door asking to be let in. Rey had to shoot the Force to the button to let him in because there was no way she was ready to move beyond the steady line of tiles that she had trekked down with the heels. Finn swallowed his laugh but quickly took Rey's waist and guided her back and forth helping her practice. In the end, however, Rey simply could not wear the shoes and so wore her leather boots beneath the silk dress.

'You still look pretty,' Finn said raising a hand to scratch the back of his neck.

Rey did her best to smile but she knew that Finn had wanted to make her up to look like a Nubian woman. What were these women like, Rey wondered as she slipped on her boots. Why did he want to make her look like one of them? Rey was a Jedi, an elite warrior meant for meditating in the Force or wielding a lightsaber in such a perfect motion it seemed like a halo of light around her head. She was not a senator nor a lady of Naboo. She said nothing other than thanking him for the gown, she imagined it cost a year's wages for the Shads let alone her teaching salary of food and whatever credits the Shads could give her.

Finn shifted his weight his feelings uneasy. 'There's one more thing,' He told her. 'Poe asked us to attend a funeral for an emissary tonight.'

Rey looked up at him, her feelings exploding though they had no reason to be. She had mentally prepared herself to see Poe again but knowing that he was so close, knowing that he wanted to see her before she was ready to see him was not something she was comfortable with. She inhaled and nodded, 'Then we shall go.'

SWSWSW

The Queen wore a wardrobe that would have cost an entire ship's worth of portions! She wore an elaborate purple gown that swept the floor and curled across her bodice in little tubes to make an oversized fan. Her makeup was stunning white, as white as Rey's dress but only halfway across her face for the bottom beneath her nose swept into a royal purple fade that matched her dress, the dividing line edged with gold. Her lips were bright red but only the top lip was completely swept, the bottom lip had a single streak down the middle, a perfect contrast. Her hair was twisted above her head beneath cuffs of gold that draped down her back so thick that Rey thought they were tails at first. How this woman could move in such an outfit, Rey didn't know, but she bowed to her nonetheless and introduced herself.

'Master Skywalker,' The Queen purred, 'I have heard so much about you. It pleases me that we could finally meet face to face.'

'A pleasure to meet you, too, your Majesty, Rey replied politely. 'And may I say congratulations on winning your election.'

The Queen smiled demurely giving Rey such an impression of royalty she could hardly believe the girl was only five years younger than her. 'The Jedi are always welcome on Naboo, so long as the queens may continue ruling.'

She gestured with an elegant hand towards a corridor of windows dressed with fine red drapes that swayed with the slight breeze. 'The Jedi have become a sort of hobby of mine,' The Queen continued. 'You see, after the Empire sought to destroy the Jedi, early members of the Resistance countered it by rescuing records and annals from the Jedi temples.'

Rey looked at her eyes wide. 'Did they really?'

'Oh yes,' The Queen answered, her head hardly turning towards her. 'I have read many of the texts and histories that they left behind. With the restoration of the Republic, I seek to distribute the Jedi's knowledge so that it is not lost in one central place.'

Rey scoffed, unable to believe it there was more knowledge more books more history of the Jedi that she had ever thought!

'Of course, it isn't everything,' The Queen continued, 'But you are of course welcome to everything that we have.' She stopped at a window causing Rey to face her.

'I am so grateful, your Majesty,' Rey told her. 'I cannot thank you enough.'

The moment the words left her lips, Rey knew she had done something wrong. The Queen shifted and a gleam entered her eye that at once reminded Rey that she was in a political arena with rules unspoken but well understood.

'Take a look out the window,' The Queen commanded.

Rey turned, seeing the vast city of Naboo; beautiful, expensive, and architecturally sound. Beyond that was a river that cut through less majestic sides of the town. Just beyond the river was what looked like a smaller palace being built with cranes and men grunting beneath sandstone, bronze, and colored glass.

'You see that building there?' The Queen asked, gesturing to the constructed palace. 'That is to be a university. However, if you are willing, a special dispensation can be made to take it from a university to a Jedi temple.'

Now Rey knew something was amiss! She scoffed and pressed her fingers to the glass to get a better view of the building. It was to be gorgeous with classrooms, even a library. She could have her own apartment on the campus, she could have dorms, training grounds, and recreation areas. There could even be a nursery if she wanted it. But she knew the Force was talking to her before she felt it sweep across her shoulders.

'A generous offer your Majesty,' Rey breathed. 'But I must ask why?'

The Queen shifted, calculating her words. 'It would please me and my people greatly to see a Jedi temple here. Especially the first Nubian Jedi in a long time.'

That's what it was. They wanted control over the temple!

'Your majesty,' Rey told her, 'I do not control who I take to be my Padawan Learners. They are shown to me by the Force.'

'I'm sure you can see a Nubian amongst the halls of the new temple,' The Queen insisted.

Rey hesitated. She wasn't going to give up easily. 'Perhaps if your majesty had a student in mind, I could examine them.'

The Queen turned to face her completely. 'To my knowledge, none have arisen. Perhaps if you were to meditate in the Force, one might arise.'

Rey blinked at her. 'And, if one doesn't? Should I be encouraged to keep that knowledge to myself for the sake of a fancy school?'

'I would encourage the Jedi to follow their conscious, Master Skywalker.'

'I see,' Rey told her, looking down at her elegant gown. 'Well, whoever studies there shall have a lovely time staring at the river.'

The Queen straightened, as did her guards. 'You are being offered a university and you would turn it down?' She demanded.

'Please understand me, your majesty,' Rey told her, 'I am flattered. But I am a Jedi who was taught history as well. We will not be controlled by the Senate or by the rulers of worlds. The Force guides us, and I am quite comfortable amongst the desert sands among the impoverished, than amongst the grass among the wealthy.'

The Queen studied her, moving her eyes from face to bodice and back again. Then, she smiled. 'You are truly a Jedi Master,' She announced. 'Take the school. A Nubian Jedi shall come eventually.'

SWSWSW

'I have never seen the Queen so stunned!' Finn exclaimed, nearly skipping beside Rey.

'I thought she was going to have my head chopped off!' Rey laughed.

'She would have tried,' Finn laughed, walking backward out of the Queen's portion of the palace. 'But, that's when the legend of the Jedi would have had to come out.'

Rey shook her head, pausing whilst a servant fetched her white cloak. 'Tell me, Finn,' Rey added, lowering her voice. 'How long has the Queen wanted a Jedi of her own?'

Finn scoffed, watching the orange hooded servants arrive with their outerwear in hand. 'I'd say from the day she was conceived.'

Rey snorted, and extended a hand for her cloak. The servant shook her head, and instead opened the garment for Rey to walk into. She did so with hesitation, feeling the woman's fingers glide gently over her shoulders before she hurried around and fastened it at the collarbone. The touch was so gentle, so warm, that Rey suddenly remembered a blonde-haired woman amidst the dust of Jakku turning her shoulders to attack her hair with a comb. Rey shook her head, pushing the image of her mother out of her mind.

'Ready?' Finn asked, the servant stepping away from him.

Rey nodded, her silhouette a solid figure without curves, her lightsaber barely poking out from beneath it. She followed him through a set of doors, almost ordinary-looking compared to the rest of the Queen's section of the palace. But, the moment servants pushed them open, the hum and swirl of life beyond it was exactly as Rey pictured a living Senate body to appear. Staff, aides-de-camp, even a couple of senators moved about in nervous quests to offices and meetings. Words were spoken quickly to each other, and in varying tones. Creatures of various sizes and races moved around her, almost reminding her of Maz Kanata's saloon, but each in fine garments of the best materials from their homeworlds.

'Come with me,' Finn ordered, reaching out and touching Rey's arm.

She looked at him, waiting for him to guide her. But, what she saw was him flinch his hand back and contort his face to a longing hesitancy. A punishment for having caressed the clean white cloak. Rey opened her mouth to assure him, but he was already shaking his head and apologizing in incoherent stammers.

'This – this way,' He mumbled, gesturing with his other hand.

Rey inhaled and followed him. What had she done to discourage him? She hadn't looked harshly at him, she didn't think. She was always kind to Finn, kinder than she was with anyone else. If only he'd have held her for a minute longer, she could have turned slower, perhaps with more warmth. But how was she to know he was going to touch her? Could she use the Force? Could that let her know when to be nice or not?

She shook her head. Finn would have to be more confident with his touches. He would have to want her enough to not look away. She couldn't do it for him, no matter how much she might want to.

They wound their way up a majestic marble staircase, falling in line with aides-de-camp with their arms carrying leather bags filled with datapads and other infotech.

'The ideal place to introduce you would be in Prep Sesh,' Finn told her, his voice taking on a more official tone. 'But those are next month. We do one month on, one month off with a Prep Sesh before every Session, until better trade routes are established.' They reached a landing, and waited for several tall, elephant looking aliens dressed in fine linen of black and oxblood to sway passed, their tusks huffing as they grunted at each other. 'Since we're not in either, you'll go to the key offices and make an introduction. Just a quick, "Hi, I can kick your ass and order tea in the same punch," or whatever. They're going to want to see your lightsabre. Some might even want to fight you because they think they're entitled to it. You do as the Jedi would do, which I imagine would be what you did to the Queen. Don't be nervous, or bored. They hate that, they think this is all the greatest theatre in the world. Newsflash: it's not. There's more out there,' He sighed that last, then led her up the stairs to a corridor lined with elegant doors.

Rey had followed his instructions as much as she could, but with such activity and flurry of feelings whirring passed her, it was difficult to focus. She turned back to Finn, barely catching the planetary system he called to her and completely missing the name of the senator. He walked in as several pint-sized aides-de-camp walked out, all squeaking to each other.

'Senator,' Finn called, waving Rey in. 'I want to introduce someone to you.'

Rey stepped inside, her chin immediately dropping to peer down at a toad-like biped senator in an auburn suit. The moment he saw Rey, he croaked loudly and stood quickly from his chair that Rey would have used as a footstool, behind a desk that was undoubtedly made specifically for him.

'Master Jedi!' The Senator honked in his native language. 'Welcome, welcome!'

'A pleasure to meet you,' Rey told him, bowing.

'The pleasure is mine!' He hobbled around the desk, little arms waving about his body as he approached her. 'My mother told me stories about the Jedi,' He told her, his face spreading into a smile. 'Indeed! I believe I even met one in hiding! A Togruta female, during the Imperial Wars, but I cannot be certain.' He lifted a webbed hand for Rey to take. She did, and he let out a small squeak. 'Welcome, Master Jedi!'

The Senator offered them dinner at his palace, an invitation Finn declined before Rey could stammer an answer. They moved through eight more offices, Rey bowing and shaking hands with each senator she encountered. It was all she could do to keep her head on! With Leia, Rey had a command of the Force because she could power through the same feelings that they were experiencing. Now, here, amongst so many desires and passions, she was finding it increasingly difficult to focus. Perhaps other Jedi went through the same periods, but how would she know that?

'Is that the last remaining Jedi?'

Rey's head snapped up, Finn stopped himself mid-sentence to look around to the voice. The corridor's activity nearly stopped, the aides-de-camp all turning to a single man dressed in what could have been a First Order uniform dyed maroon. He wore a severe look and had a stature sharper than a knife, arms clasped behind his back.

'Senator Kavrid,' Finn called, taking a step forward, his shoulder crossing in front of Rey. His feelings of fear and intimidation were not what Rey wanted to feel. 'I didn't think you'd be here so soon.'

The man stepped forward, a woman dressed in a similar uniform walking no less than half a step behind him. 'A _Jedi_ is a thing worth seeing in person.' He turned his attention towards Rey, 'Especially when she comes as one so pretty as this.'

Rey set her jaw at his wandering eyes. 'I don't believe we've met,' Rey hissed. 'My name is-'

'Has she been told?' Senator Kavrid interrupted, looking at Finn. 'Has she been told, that the _Jedi_ are not welcome in a place like this for the very fact that they should have died with Luke Skywalker for raising the monster that was once Kylo Ren?'

Rey moved around Finn, hearing her name but ignoring it. 'If you think that Kylo Ren is an accurate representation of the Jedi, then it is clear that the Jedi are needed now more than ever. We obey the Force, we seek its will, and we bring peace and balance to the galaxy.'

'She says "we,"' The woman smirked. 'Have you a mouse in your pocket, girl? I see no other sorcerer here than you.'

All activity in the corridor stopped. A lightning bolt shot through Rey's spine. At once, the image of Sennic came to mind, that adorable little boy that would have made a model Jedi if he'd chosen to stay with her. She thought of telling him about the school just offered to her by the Queen, but if she did that here in this corridor, then every senator friend or foe would have someone down there to inspect the facilities as well as interrogate anyone listening to the conversation between Rey and the Queen what were the terms. So, she lifted her head and replied:

'The Jedi are everywhere, Senators. Those who hear the Force above their own ambition are Jedi. I simply have a lightsabre to prove it.'

The woman leaned back, her eyes widening. At once, whispers exploded amongst the senators and aides-de-camp. Rey turned away, showing only Finn her smirk. She knew these feelings! She could read them as though she was reading a book. They were desperate to know if she had other apprentices, if Luke had trained other students. If Kylo was the only one of his breed. What did Rey know that they didn't?

'Who the hell are you?!' Senator Kavrid bellowed. 'You think you can just waltz in here in a white dress and take over everything we've built? You think because you took a famous name as your own that that makes you any less of a sunburnt desert rat scavenging for its next crust of stale bread? You-'

He stopped his shouting, his face contorting with confused discomfort. He touched his throat, his female companion whirling around to stare at him.

'You know who I am,' Rey growled.

She turned, her hand curved into a taut half-moon. 'I am the woman who demanded a king relinquish his crown before she even considered taking his hand. I am the woman who stared death in the eye and made it yield to her.' She flexed her hand, allowing Senator Kavrid a small breath. 'I am the Empress you never had. So, while you're staring down your nose trying to intimidate your way back to the First Order, you should take a second look at this _sorceress_, and think again. Because I will not allow another empire to rise, so long as there is a reverence left in the Skywalker name. That, is who I am.'

She released her hand, and turned before he could collapse in relief.

_Please review!_


	4. Chapter 4

_So, I have been made aware that Naboo and Nubians are two different races of aliens in Star Wars lore. Well, when I've completed this story, I'll go back and fix it._

_As always, reviews are the gas in my tank and much appreciated._

Chapter Four

Courkrus, Outer Rim Territories

The villagers of the Cove moved about the quay, shifting baskets, trading trinkets for fish and shellfish, and exchanging the latest gossip. Those who had lived there for any length of time knew to ignore the homemade boats along the surf at this hour, knowing that they had nothing good to do but dive deep with rocks tied to their legs in an attempt to reach the ocean floor. At such an hour, the fish merchants were looking to start closing down their stalls as the women and young ladies moved away from the water with choice fish in hand, determined to see their families fed.

They moved through the the village, down the main avenue that curved away from the quay that boasted a butcher across from the Glitterati boutique, a carpenter's shop, several stalls where long-established farmers sold their wares to include a lomin ale brewer. Nestled between them were a weaver and Prolet dresser before breaking the tightly knit avenue into hiccups of mechanics, scavengers, fishermen, and one particular shop that was too well established to be among the Needlers, but not refined enough to be for the Glitterati. Although if one looked at the shop for long enough, one would see members of all three classes unabashedly entering and leaving the place at all hours of the day (though, admittedly, the girls from the women's commune was often seen giggling for hours on a fallen long across from it, trying to gaze at the Proprietor). Questions always arose whenever visitors arrived at the Cove who was the Proprietor; why didn't he seem to leave his shop? Why didn't he engage with the other villagers, or even seem to look at the ladies who doted so willingly upon him?

The Proprietor, however, didn't care to answer any of these questions. He worked, he ate, he slept. At night, some of the men could see him leave his shop and walk around the village, even hike up the rocky cove and stay up there when the weather was clear. He would talk to the ladies on occasion, but not in-depth. He appeared to be easily annoyed by their silly questions and giddy advances. Every now and then, a boy drunk on lomin ale would try to challenge him to a fight. That never lasted long. The Proprietor was tall, packed with muscle, and a skilled fighter of both sword and bare knuckles. Beyond that, he was… _different. _The men couldn't place it, but they knew it existed. He seemed to know what was going to happen before it happened. He seemed to move without thinking, work metal so skilfully that even the blacksmith felt jealousy creep in whenever his craftsmanship was mentioned. His actions were so natural that isolation seemed the best course for a man like him, and so only a handful of men would approach him for conversation or help in specific affairs, and customers came more out of curiosity than anything else.

On this particular afternoon, a fisherman's son walked shakily towards the shop, first checking to see if the Proprietor was outside in the forge workshop, or inside where the real treasure was kept. Finding the forge cackling by itself, the boy moved around to the front of the shop, rasping his metal ring on a brass plate secured to the doorframe for this purpose. At once, the dark figure of the Proprietor halted, merely turning his head in answer.

'Artisan!' The boy called, a smile on his face. 'I've got it!'

No one knew the Proprietor's name. The question was asked, but an answer was never given, or response even dignified. They did know that he answered to, 'Artisan,' 'The Proprietor of that one shop at the end of the lane,' and another name that wasn't spoken casually, or often: 'The Dragon.'

The Artisan set his pliers down and turned. He had grown out a full beard of black hair to match the long mane that hung past his shoulders. He wore a working uniform of tank top speckled with small holes like stars against white skin stretched taut with muscle. His trousers were dark as well, torn in different places from wear, and boots like every working man's boots in the Cove. His eyes were hard, but one look at the boy and he blinked them to a softness that came with those who attempted to 'civilise' him with kind words and friendship.

'Show me,' The Artisan grunted, looking at the boy's clasped hands.

The boy moved towards the work table, a stupid grin spreading wider and wider the more he moved. He dropped his treasure onto the table with an excited gasp, revealing misshapen pearls, long pieces of sea glass, and Republican credits.

The Artisan stepped forward, and took two of the sea glass pieces, lifting them up to what dim light leaked through the roof. The boy stammered something, perhaps seeking approval, but the Artisan ignored him. They weren't glass at all, but Kyber crystals. He could feel their hum beneath his fingers, hear the smallest of whispers from their cores.

'These will do just fine,' The Artisan breathed.

The boy hooted in celebration, raising both arms into the air. 'Right!' He cried, dropping his hands. 'Which one can I get?' He turned, his eyes alighting when he saw them.

Arranged on homemade shelves, on presentation stands of rocks, driftwood, and wooden crosses, was rustic, metal jewellery. Some were necklaces of twisted metal hanging from leather cords, others were necklaces of sea glass, driftwood, and pearls. Necklaces hammered into half-moons, and harsh rectangles separated by beads and polished rock. Some of the necklaces had earrings, others bracelets. The shelf the boy had turned to, however, held perhaps the biggest collection of them all: rings.

'These?' He grinned.

The Artisan's hand clamped down on his as he reached for a particularly thick ring with a centre top point that had taken him especially long to refine.

'This one,' The Artisan directed, setting his hand down on a simple ring of silver. It was wire wrapped four times, tied on top to almost appear like a diamond. For the boy's rank, it might as well have been a diamond, and the boy treated it as such!

He took it in gentle hands, turning it over though he wouldn't have known the difference in quality if it hit him in the head. He looked up at the Artisan, lip almost quivering.

'You think she'll like it?' He begged.

The Artisan snorted. 'If she doesn't, the problem's her, not you.'

'I will be the first to propose this year!' The boy half laughed. 'I need to be sure.'

The Artisan nodded. 'Trust me, she'll like it.'

The boy nodded, bobbing like his head was broken. 'Thank you, Artisan!'

'Go get her,' The Artisan smirked, jerking his chin out the shop door.

The boy turned, seeing a a clump of girls assume their usual position at the Artisan Watch log, arranging their simple dresses over the wood with wide grins and uncontrollable giggling. The boy jolted, eyes nearly bugging out of his head at the sight of one particular redhead who peered out beneath her braided mane to look for the Artisan. The Boy turned to the Artisan and swallowed.

'Wish me luck!'

The Artisan lowered his chin in what could be interpreted as a good wish. Or, at least the boy took it to be one because he issued a hasty 'Thanks!' and bolted out the door.

The Artisan turned away, looking over one of his necklace counters. But, he turned at the last second, peering through his hair out the modest open window at the boy. He had the guts to march up to the redhead crowded amongst her friends and asked her to step aside with him. The Artisan wasn't sure he would have the courage to do that himself. In one movement, the boy showed her the ring and lowered himself to one knee. She knew at once and started crying, her girlfriends hooting and hollering at the motion, bringing others to look on as well. The redhead herself started chanting 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' over and over in a screeching wail that the Artisan couldn't help but smile himself.

What he would give to have Rey screech like that! He looked around his shop, knowing that the perfect jewels for Rey weren't on display. No, those would never be shown to anyone but her, despite how many Glitterati came by demanding his finest. He would give her unlimited access to that drawer on both knees, begging for one more kiss. One more life…

He moved to a heavy wooden set of drawers, one that most of his customers simply walked passed without a second look. A finger pushed against the lock, a sigh escaping his lungs. How he longed to take out those jewels and lay them on her soft skin; pushing the fine rings onto each of her fingers. Longed to hear her breathy voice speak his name let alone repeat over and over that she would…

He moved away from the set of drawers. He would receive more customers now that the first proposal had been made. His necklaces would be gone in three months, and his earrings would go too if the girls decided if pearls, or leather, or both were in style this year. He was playing with a design that the girls had stared at in awe: pearls lanced through with a crude metal piece held up by thick folded leather and attached with a hook for pierced ears. He'd shown them to the Head Giggler at the Artisan Watch log and within the hour every noteworthy customer just happened to poke their head in. If they would only hurry up in their decision, he could avoid another near riot…

He moved to a nail towards the back of the shop and took from it a long strip of black cloth. In one motion, he took a seat on the dirt floor, and closed his eyes. He inhaled, his heart beating with the waves that spread across the beach. He exhaled, feeling the grunt of the fishermen as they pulled their soaked nets in from rocking wooden boats. Another inhale, the village humming with commerce, an exhale, the graves of villagers lost decaying further just beyond the village. Between it all, a balance so familiar, and so welcoming he felt his shoulders relax.

He lifted the cloth to his closed eyes, knowing the motion like he was seeing it. A knot easily pulled off was tied behind his head. He stood, moving to his work table and taking a fresh piece of bronze wire acquired from the Blacksmith. He could see its shimmering body in his mind, and could taste, yes taste, the shape of the new ornament he was to construct.

He moved outside, setting the wire to the flame of a torch easily kicked on if not impossibly done for a blindfolded man, not once burning his fingers. He twisted the metal with pliers he touched as soon as he reached out for them, the metal bending at the perfect temperature. He listened to the Force, feeling it guide his arms.

The beach, washing over the sand. The moisture in the air promising rain, and a storm. The boats sloshing in the quay, the avians warning of impending doom. The rain falling upon a light green meadow. The wildflowers growing in firm shoots with white and yellow heads dotted occasionally with violet and bright blue.

Rey.

She laid in the meadow, her eyes closing as she inhaled the scent of the hidden rain and dirt. The sun bore down on her delicate skin, tanning it. She inhaled, a bead of sweat forming on her throat.

Ben inhaled with her.

He imagined himself moving to lie down next to her, his hands so close he could caress her cheek and nose. She was asleep. He could only come to her when she was sleeping, now. She was quick to reach out to him when he would let the Force connect them, quick to seek where he was. He couldn't allow that. Not yet. He had come a long way from the man she had first met, but he wasn't where she needed him to be just yet. Oh, how beautiful she was at rest!

Her eyes opened, the sparkling amber shifting into honey and gold. He lifted his hand and caressed her cheekbone with his thumb. Her lips immediately turned upwards, her body turning towards him.

'Hello beautiful,' Ben whispered.

She lifted her hand and rested it on his chest, the touch warming him from that point to the rest of his body. 'Ben.' She smiled. She truly had a unique smile!

He smiled at her, aware that his beard was far too full for what she was used to. It was just more convenient to keep it wild!

'Are you happy where you are?'

'Somewhat,' She told him, looking away. 'I miss you.'

'I miss you, too.' Ben confessed, looking around. There wasn't much to see beyond the meadow. It looked familiar, from a childhood long ago.

'When can we see each other again?'

He turned back to her, her fingers tickling his skin as they scratched mindlessly on the scoop of his collar. He swallowed, 'Soon, Rey.'

'You always say soon,' She complained, looking away. 'Why can't we be together?'

He studied her, watching her nearly lazy face rock to and from him. He smiled and leaned over her, pressing his lips against hers. Her perfume was like spice! He drank her in, a simple press of the lips was all he needed to feel drunk.

Her hand stroked his scalp, the other reaching under his arm to hold his ribs, pulling him onto her delicate frame.

He wrenched his face away, the Force zinging about him in a way that he knew to fear. Rey leaned forward, her eyes opening wider, her body coming more alive.

Ben lifted a hand and stroked her forehead with his middle finger and thumb, encouraging her to fall back asleep.

'Why aren't you happy where you are?'

Her eyes closed and she leaned back onto the grass.

'My student doesn't want to continue with the Jedi way,' She sighed, her voice becoming heavier. 'I don't know what to do beyond the war. I had a purpose there, a set schedule. Now I'm trying to find my way through the galaxy.'

He lifted his hand and pressed it next to her ear. 'Can you find another student?'

'I don't know,' Her voice was getting heavier, and her eyes stayed closed for longer. 'Ben, I'm so alone.'

He closed his eyes, and huffed. 'You're not alone,' He assured her.

Her hands slackened, dragging down his chest. 'Neither are you,' She murmured.

He picked up one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. She didn't say anything more. She was too far gone into sleep that she was no longer in the Force. But he didn't leave her. He stayed watching her, studying how much she had aged in the last five years.

Ben jolted suddenly, a voice from somewhere within his mind calling to him. He blinked, the meadow darkening, leaving Rey laying before him in an ocean of black. He jolted again, his mind slamming with the image of her on Exegol when the strain of fighting the Emperor had killed her. He dropped her hand and grabbed his blindfold, gasping when he looked up and saw the wooden slats of the forge workshop, and inhaled the scent of the ocean and burning driftwood in his forge.

'Artisan!'

He exhaled, and looked down. The bronze wire ornament had been warped in his grip, the vision of its intent thoroughly crushed. He knew what it was going to be the moment he saw the disfigurement. It was going to be for Rey, something to put aside in his drawer for when he saw her again. Now, it wasn't fit for a fisherman's hook!

'What?' He growled, half turning.

The man who had called him stood just beyond the cover of the workshop, bouncing onto either foot. He wore a black jacket over a solid black shirt and fitted trousers, his boots of fine quality leather. This man was nothing like the villagers of the Cove. He looked around, and at once, the closest villagers avoided his gaze. He swallowed, and looked back at the Artisan.

'Trion called,' He told him.

The Artisan said nothing, only stared.

'There'll be a string coming along soon. More emissaries from the Republic.'

The mangled bronze started to shake in the Artisan's hands. 'What, do you, want, Carver?' The Artisan demanded, voice low.

'We need you,' Carver told him. 'We need your sword. You make baubles from junk,' He kicked a box full of scraps, the sound echoing through the workshop. 'You were made to fight, made to be a warrior! Leave jewellery making for women.'

'Thank you for telling me how to make my living,' The Artisan growled.

'Don't you want to taste the pleasure of getting paid in actual money?'

'Go, away,' The Artisan hissed.

Carver rolled his eyes, throwing up his hands in the air. 'Fine! With you gone at least I get first shot at the girls we get! And I won't care if they protest because it's not like anyone actually gives a damn when they're being paid…'

The bronze mess rolled across the work table the same time a sword was wrenched from the forge, it's glowing tip clashing with his dark eyes.

Carver smirked, straightening. 'There he is.'

His appearance didn't fool the Artisan. His feelings were shivering, his eyes flinched from the massive frame of the Artisan to the swords not yet fitted with handles, the tools used to make those swords swaying in the breeze as they hung, ready to be grabbed. The Artisan stepped forward, his long legs closing the distance and making Carver's heart beat faster.

'You're the only one to keep us gentlemen,' Carver told him, barely sliding his foot back away from his enlarging frame.

The Artisan halted. He inhaled, his shoulders rising with his movement. There was only one way to get rid of this slug.

'Kyber,' He said at last.

'You can take all of it,' Carver smiled. 'We'll take the credits made from our sales, you keep the Kyber crystals.'

'When?'

'As soon as you're ready. We have a hideout where we can hear when they sail. Trion says there's a couple of others heading out, first.'

'No,' The Artisan said firmly. 'Don't give anything away.'

'Figured you'd say that,' Carver sighed, looking away for a moment. 'The boys'll go with what you say.'

'Am I leading the raid?' The Artisan demanded, raising his eyebrow.

'Hell no!' Carver scoffed, turning back to him. 'But, once you walk into the room, the boys wouldn't dare go against you.'

'No women,' The Artisan grunted. 'No exceptions.'

'No promises,' Carver told him. 'Emmisary's a woman, so are her handmaids. Can't guarantee there won't be women on board.'

'No one, touches the women,'

'So long as you're there, no one will touch the girls.'

The Artisan lowered his sword, and exhaled. 'I'll be there.' He grumbled.

Carver half smiled, then stopped. 'You going to shave the, uh…?' He gestured to his chin.

The Artisan turned, not saying another word. Carver shouted something the Artisan didn't care to register. He had given him all the relevant information he needed; nothing else mattered than that.

He knew the routine of what was expected of him. He moved from his forge to the back of the shop. There was a water spigot that he pumped twice into a bowl, and grabbed a leather roll hanging from a nail. Taking the bowl, he set it on top of the forge, nestled perfectly on a faint ring of clay dust from the last time he had set it down. With a quick jerk, the leather roll unfurled, revealing a set of shears and a razor. He took both and punched a button on a machine, setting a grindstone whirring with a puff of black smoke. A handful of water moistened the stone enough to set the edges to sharpen. He dodged the stream of sparks, eyes watching the edge become sharper and sharper.

Once the shears and knife had been adequately sharpened, he shut the machine down and grabbed the clay bowl. It was hot, far hotter than people would have liked, but he didn't seem to mind. He walked inside the shop and set it down on a shelf next to a heavy wood cabinet fitted with a lock. Above this shelf was a cracked mirror, one that he used to first shear off his lengthy beard and hair. Ribbons of black came loose, descending to the dirt floor. He hadn't seen the man behind the hair in some time; He had kept him hidden for so long. That was the point of the growth. To hide the man he used to be until he could behave. He set the shears down and splashed his face with the warm water. Carefully, in precise lines, he shaved his beard, revealing high cheekbones and long neck. He left a line of hair along his jaw and around his lips, the prospect of going completely cleanshaven reminding him of another life lived, another name he held that he thoroughly despised.

The sun had set, and the smells of a thousand hearth fires cooking family meals wafted over the Cove. But he didn't move towards food stalls or his own hamper. He unlocked the heavy wooden cabinet and opened both doors. Tacked to the doors were blasters of every size and shape, as well as knives and swords in carbon tactical sheaths. In the centre was a homemade mannequin much like his jewellery displays, except this one held black armour of leather and black painted steel, as well as tactical trousers with steel plating on the thighs and shins. From a bag hanging inside the armour, he pulled on a loose-fitting black cotton undershirt and kicked off his work gear. The armour slid on perfectly, made just for him.

For this mission, he would need his wits and appropriate weaponry around him. He strapped on two thigh holsters, fitting them with a medium-sized blaster and a shotgun. On his back, he strapped on a custom sheath that held two swords parallel against his shoulder blades. Lastly, on either bicep, he fitted four small daggers with black handles that could be easily grabbed in a pinch.

He inhaled deeply, staring at the gap in his cabinet. There was one piece left to take, one kept in a bag on a top shelf shoved almost to the back. He reached up, and snatched the strings of the bag, yanking it over the edge. He inhaled deeply again, the weight of his weapons seeming to sink his soul further. He opened the bag, and withdrew a full face mask of an elaborate design. This mask had been given to him by the crew when they had accepted him, one that had been blessed by whatever shaman anointed a group of pirates on Carver's homeworld. A dragon design with eyes cut open that could slide shut at whim rimmed with a modest design of windswept hair, the jaw open to reveal silver, pointed teeth. The entire face of the mask was covered in engraved scales, all designed to help him breathe and see in the dark.

The mask shivered in his fist. His breathing quickened, coming in short snorts. He turned to his outdoor work table, seeing the mangled brass wire ornament he had been trying to craft. He stalked to it, slamming the mask down on the table and grabbing the ornament. He wrenched his hand back, teeth gritted, determined to throw it with every midichlorian the Force had in him, whether it be the ocean or the next system.

But, he didn't.

He huffed, weighted chest heaving, arm arched behind him. He could hear Snoke's voice in a mass of incoherent barks, his muscles tensing from when the wrinkled old crone zapped him with lightning, or tossed him hard against whatever room with a twitch of his fingers.

He held his breath, forcing his chest to halt its movement, he closed his eyes, willing himself to stand there as the Force caressed his frame like smoke, smoothing over every joint, every taut muscle. The voices in his head silenced, his lifted arms lowering to his sides.

He looked down, and lifted the ornament. It was mangled more; whatever it was trying to be completely erased without hope of returning. The Artisan turned his head, and picked up a set of pliers.

Before walking out of the shop and locking it (he didn't know why, it wasn't that hard to knock down one of his walls), the Artisan tied an angel wing shaped pendant on a leather cord and set it on a display stand.

One of the girls, one who lived in the dormitory near him called out with a cheerful greeting, but he ignored her. She didn't cry out again when she saw him stride to a shed off to the back of his shop. She knew that gait, they all did. At least one in every family had the same gait and the purpose for it. From the shed, he uncovered a speederbike and guided it out. Before setting off into the night, he took the dragon mask and slid it over his hair, securing it at the nape of his neck.

The engine roared, prompting two of the men from the village to come to the corners of their windows and peer out with caution. A shiver ran down their spines and they turned away to feign ignorance.

The Dragon was riding once again.

SWSWSW

Naboo

Rey had not been to a funeral before. She'd been to memorial services for fallen Resistance members, but never stayed long. She didn't know what to do when those who had been invited had a role, and a specific ritual that needed fulfilling at the time. On Jakku, there hadn't been time for funerals. Dead were picked clean of valuables and left to rot in the scorching sun with only the sand to bury them. Arriving to the funeral of a dignitary in the Nubian evening, dressed in her fine white gown, the feeling of awkwardness couldn't be overstated.

'Don't worry,' Finn assured her, 'Just do what you've been doing.'

'Am I supposed to cry?' She hissed.

'No,' Finn scoffed. 'But you can if you want to. No judgment.'

Rey shot him a look and half smiled.

The funeral was held in a circular garden courtyard somewhere in the heart of the city, a place designated for funerals. In the sunset, the white tiled garden was cast into a brilliant hue of gold and blue. Around them, folding into long fans were yellow flowers with red centres, and red poppies as big as Rey's face. They walked beneath archways covered in manicured vines to see the brilliant moulded pourstone, illuminated by bulbous paper lanterns between each arch. As they neared the funerary area, more people dressed in black and cultural colours of mourning arrived, conversing with each other in soft murmurs.

The moment they entered the round garden courtyard, Rey stopped and felt cold surge through the marrow of her bones.

Poe Dameron was speaking to what looked like the family of the emissary, a female human covered in simple black silk with a black veil draped over her face.

At once, Rey called to the Force, begging it to flow through her. What she would have given to have had the Jedi Who Came Before talk to her now! If only they could have taken her to the World Between Worlds in this second! But, no such luck happened. She glanced at Finn who also noticed Poe. He stiffened beside her, but he didn't move from his intended route. She swallowed and let him guide her towards the mourning line.

The courtyard was tiled with grass purposefully growing between the porcelain squares. In the centre was a marble pyre burned black by hundreds of cremation ceremonies before this one. Tonight, the body of the emissary lay on top, surrounded by fine flowers and other greenery. Rey was certain that the flowers had been dipped into a type of scentless fuel in order to burn such a body with so little help (unless there was a ceremonial laying of kindling by the guests or servants that she hadn't the stomach to watch in either case). The emissary had looked to be a young man about a few years older than her, and appeared to be sleeping.

'What happened to him?' Rey whispered to Finn.

Finn froze, hand halfway reclaimed from an elderly male mourner, dressed in black satin robes. He forced a grimace and straightened, shooting wide eyes at Rey as the elderly man looked curiously at her.

Rey mashed her lips and turned away. So, that was not a question to ask at funerals, then.

They finished the mourning line, the woman in the veil crying the moment she saw Rey, her feelings a wash of questions ranging from 'Why are you here now that my husband's dead?' to 'I'm glad that this is the last emissary funeral,' with several incoherent phrases in between all soaked in deep sorrow. As soon as they moved away from them, Finn wrapped his arm around Rey's shoulder and turned into her ear.

'The emissary was tortured for a week by former First Order. He was finished off by a blaster shot to the head. You're actually looking at a very detailed hologram.'

At once, Rey turned to the body. There, upon deeper inspection, were at least a dozen tiny projections of light hidden in the leaves and vines of the flowers and greenery. Given the finery of such a funeral, Rey could only suspect that they would be destroyed with the body, possibly providing the extra fuel for burning.

'Hey guys,' A familiar voice called.

They turned, Finn at once stiffening beside Rey. Poe Dameron, handsome as ever with more tamed hair and fitted, clean clothes of mustard yellow and light grey moved towards them, eyes darting from Finn to Rey. He stopped a full arm's length away, hands kept close to his body, that he smoothed in an attempt to calm the awkwardness of not reaching out to either person.

'Poe,' Finn acknowledged, moving slightly to cover Rey.

'Good to see you, Poe.'

They both turned to Rey, Finn in surprise, Poe in shock, both wide-eyed and jaws agape. Rey pasted on a half-smile, and moved forward to him. 'You look good,' She told him, looking over his shoulder.

'Thanks,' Poe said immediately. After a moment, he looked over her frame, cocked an eyebrow and added, 'Wow, you… you look amazing! Just like a Nubian girl.'

'Thank you,' She responded, moving her eyes to look him in the face. 'I met the Queen today.'

'Yeah, yeah, she's obsessed with the Jedi.' Poe half-smiled, 'Like, unbelievably obsessed. Which is good for you, I mean. She can offer you a couple of really good perks. Kinda think she wanted to see if she qualified to train with you, but who knows?'

'She doesn't have the Force,' Rey blurted. 'She probably can if she meditated, but not enough to be a Jedi.'

'Don't say that out loud,' Finn chuckled. 'She might take that university back.'

'She offered you a university?' Poe asked, voice lowering as he looked around at the mourners.

Rey nodded, shifting uncomfortably. 'It's still being built.'

'It'll be yours, though,' Poe encouraged, taking a fraction of a step towards her. 'Your own place. Near us, near home.'

Rey nodded, a knot twisting in her stomach. 'It'll be closer.'

'Rey has agreed to go with us on the new mission,' Finn told him, his voice far gone from its usual tenderness.

'I heard,' Poe told him. He turned, looking around the crowd, his bright coloured clothes catching the twilight. 'Rose!' He called as respectfully as possible.

Rey whirled around, and gasped at the sight of her. Rose Tico, once a mousy engineer specialist that shadowed General Leia now walked towards them with a chin higher than she'd ever seen it, wearing a halter top grey dress that cascaded into red tubers around her side to look like she had turned her body halfway around. It wasn't a mourner's outfit, to be sure, but it served its purpose: she was the next emissary.

'Rey!' She squealed as quietly as possible, though her grin was brighter than the noonday sun.

Rey bounded up to her and pulled her into a tight hug. Of all the people she missed, she missed the friendship that had been growing between her and Rose! Another girl who seemed to get all the things that flew over Rey's head and was willing to be nice enough to divulge them as well as chatter about them! Not to mention just being able to relate to another girl in a constantly changing world, her heart was ready to explode!

'Tell me you're back!' Rose begged, looking up at Rey.

'Seems like it!' Rey smiled. She took a step back, admiring the new wardrobe. 'Senator Tico?'

'Almost,' Rose corrected, looking aside. 'Hays Minor is still bouncing back. Not big enough or settled enough to need a senator. But, I'm representing the Republic now. And you!' She looked Rey up and down, admiring her new dress. A feeling crossed her mind, one of shameless green jealousy at the way the dress hugged Rey's hips and stretched across her breasts, but she nodded it away. 'You look better than ever!'

'I certainly hope so,' Rey chuckled.

The atmosphere in the courtyard changed, drawing their attentions to a tall, elongated faced Munn priest wearing sweeping black robes and carrying a book under his arm. Finn touched Rey's arm and gestured to one of the elevated seats near the mourning family. A hand touched her shoulder, causing a feeling of icicles to shoot down her spine, prompting her to shift awkwardly to remove it. She turned, seeing Poe snatch his hand back, his face wrought with concern.

'Sorry,' He whispered quickly, 'Meet me after the funeral, 'kay?'

'We will,' Finn's voice called in a low tone, his answer one that Rey silently welcomed.

Poe looked up at Finn, and though she didn't see his face, Rey could sense a type of understanding happen between the two men. One that she was glad to have happened, even for a brief moment.

The mourners took their places, with the social rankings coming in the form of those who were to stand, those who were to sit, and those who were to sit next to the grieving family. Poe and Rose sat almost directly behind the parents of the deceased emissary, while Finn and Rey were to sit to their left, not exactly close but not too far either.

'Are you alright?' Finn whispered to Rey the moment her bottom touched the cold pourstone bench.

Rey nodded, taking in a shaky inhale. 'I'm fine. I'll be fine.'

Finn looked at her for a moment more, eyes searching her face for any betrayal of emotion. At that moment, Rey was glad of it. She hadn't had the opportunity to use the Force to wash over her feelings for some time and it felt good to reach out to that particular branch once more.

The Munn priest stood at the edge of the funerary pyre, and opened his book with fingers as long as Rey's forearm. He spoke in a beautiful flowy language that Rey knew, but tonight she didn't feel like translating it. She just wanted to see how a funeral was conducted. He spoke at length, gesturing with a wide-sleeved arm to the body many times whilst addressing the family. Then, he began reading from his book, his tone of voice changing from flowy to monotonous as he read from the holy book. The family nodded several times, the widow reciting on her own certain passages in response to the priest's readings.

Rey shifted in her seat, crossing her ankles several times as the proceedings went on. Was her own funeral to be like this? She never thought about her funeral because, well, they didn't exist on Jakku. Perhaps she should? How were Jedi funerals…

She practiced her breathing, her hand reaching out and gripping Finn's hand. He turned to her, watching her practice her breathing. In, hold, hold, hold, and out. In, hold, hold, hold, and out. No! She wouldn't think of his death! She wouldn't do it! She wouldn't do it!

'You okay?' Finn asked, leaning in to nearly tickle her ear.

She wanted to shake her head. She really wanted to cry and vomit, but she didn't. The intake of oxygen helped, but her mind was like herding cats. Ben hadn't had a funeral. He had simply disappeared, leaving his clothes behind. A funeral had been planned for Leia, but she too had gone into the World Between Worlds and so a memorial service and dedication was held for her when the Senate had been re-established on Naboo. It had been elaborate, with the then-Queen of Naboo officiating and Rey serving as the official lighter of the Torch of Hope (the fact that she had a lightsabre was one of the biggest reasons aside from being the only apprentice Leia ever took on). Should Rey have held a funeral for Ben on her own? She couldn't do it now, of course, but then when she knew that he had left her?

Finn's other hand covered the one she gripped, slowly pulling her from her thoughts. 'I'm here for you, Rey,' He murmured. 'It's okay.'

She rubbed her thumb against his knuckles, able to exhale from her lips. She couldn't have held a funeral for Ben. She didn't know how to do one, and the likelihood of her jumping into the flames with his metaphorical body was too high. Especially then.

After what appeared to be an hour of droning and responding, standing and sitting, the widow rose from her seat and moved to the foot of the pyre. From her mourning gown, she withdrew a red rose and placed it on her husband's chest, loving words obscured by relentless sobbing. She inhaled, her entire body shaking, and turned to the Priest. From his sweeping sleeve, he withdrew a simple taper candle that looked like a toothpick and ignited it with a flint lighter before handing it back to her and igniting one for himself. Then, as one, the widow touched the candle to the green leaves at the feet and the Priest to the delicate flowers at his head. At once, a ring of fire surrounded the body, obscuring it in such a large, heated square of light that the widow scampered back, nearly tripping on her elaborate outfit.

For a moment they all watched, peering at the poor soul that was charring before their eyes. Rey swallowed. She would not want to be cremated. She would not want to do anything that would cause her family to sit here like this! She simply wanted to fade away into the Force as Ben had done leaving those she loved to wonder if where she'd flown off to this time.

'Let us go,' The widow announced, turning to her parents-in-law. 'There's no reason to stay. He's not coming back.'

Her mother-in-law, elderly and whimpering, nodded. Rey watched them stand, their feelings of grief soaking her. The father-in-law wanted to stay, wanted to remember his son as the little boy he had raised, but didn't argue when his wife hooked his arm and steered them away. Of the guests, few of them knew what to do after the departure of the family, their feelings of grief and discomfort weighing on Rey's shoulders until she exhaled and recoiled into the Force, letting the peace wash over her until she swayed and realized that she had closed her eyes and had almost crashed into Finn's shoulder.

They stayed in their seats, inhaling the stench of burning foliage, flesh, and perfume meant to overpower the other two but needed a minute to kick in. The mourners stayed only until they figured it too awkward to remain or until they were certain that social protocols were fulfilled enough to allow them to sneak away. By the time the flesh of the body had burnt away, Rey, Finn, Rose, and Poe were alone in the courtyard, doing everything they could to ignore the bright light in the centre.

'Alright,' Finn called, his shoulders dropping, 'I think we're alone.'

They weren't, really. Two servants were waiting for the body to burn, but they were playing with chance dice and shooting them the occasional glance and so didn't prove a threat.

Poe helped Rose to her feet and escorted her over pourstone benches to where the other two were sitting. At once, Rey felt her stomach jolt. She hadn't told Rose what had happened! So far as she was aware, Rey had just disappeared into the night, possibly on a Force call or something. She would be completely blindsided!

At once, Finn stood, facing down a standing Poe as Rose settled next to Rey. 'Before we begin,' He announced, looking at each person in the eye. 'I think a conversation needs to happen between the two of you,' He lifted a finger and gestured to Poe and Rey.

The fire that burned the former emissary was nothing to the lava that flowed through Rey's veins at that moment. Rose straightened next to her, blinking in confusion as she turned from man to woman.

'What's going on?' She asked, turning to Rey.

The cackling of the pyre answered her. Rey looked up at Poe, the lava within her reaching her eyes to the point of eruption. A thousand words sizzled on her tongue, but she didn't give them the benefit of searing her lips. He knew what she wanted. He knew what he had to say.

Poe shifted his weight, avoiding anyone's eyes. 'Rey,' He began, 'I-I just want to say-'

'You have my sword,' Rey interrupted, shooting the Force to everyone to keep them from cutting her off. She couldn't do it! The lava tempered to a wildfire, one more harmful to herself than to him. She couldn't breathe! She inhaled, trying to push the foul-smelling oxygen to her navel, but she spoke anyways. 'The Republic needs the Jedi and the Jedi shall answer. I will go with you to the lengths that you need me, and I will keep Rose and her crew safe,' She nodded to Rose, ignoring her growing confusion. 'As to what will happen after that will be my choice and none other. The Queen has offered me a place here on Naboo, but I have yet to accept it. That, I must go to the Force to answer. Until then, there is nothing more that needs to be said.' She stood, shooting a glance to Finn that levelled his hope of asking her out to dinner that night. 'I will be ready to go when you are.'

She stepped down from the pourstone bench and immediately felt her boot catch on the skirt of her dress. She gasped, but was immediately righted by Poe's arm that had already been reaching out to touch her.

She whirled around, smacking his hand. He staggered back, her eyes asteroids on a dangerous path.

'Don't, touch me!' She growled, her jaw clenched too tightly to move. 'Don't you _ever_ touch me again!'

She was across the courtyard before she realized it, her tears scorching her eyes as she marched.

'What the hell was that?' Rose's voice asked, her feelings of confusion pure.

No one spoke, no one had to speak. Finn hadn't been told the whole story either, but Poe wasn't talking and Rey was absorbed into the moonlight before he could turn to call out to her.

_Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Isolation sucks. Have an update a day early._

Chapter 5

Naboo

It took three days to prepare for departure. Three days of a strict diet of maps, trade routes that were successful, under fire, or successfully under fire. Rey sat in on all these talks, always beside Finn or Rose or some other trade minister. What happened after the funeral, Rey had no idea, but something must have been said to make Rose's feeling of confusion be somewhat settled.

Rose was undoubtedly a big shot now. She had her own office on the Senate floor of the palace, an apartment close by where the other senators and visiting royalty lived, and an army of staffers and servants each. Rey couldn't help but smile when she realized that a base command to all her staff was to make sure that none of the traders the Republic dealt with were slavers or had any connection to the slave trade. One meeting Rey attended was from the Senator of Canto Bight, a well-dressed human female who was more than a little worried that Rose had authorized a warrant to search fathier stables and the casino for child slavery at whim and was looking into extending that warrant to private residences as well.

'You can add her to the list of people who want the emissaries dead,' Rose sighed when the Senator huffed away, unable to reach a deal.

'Her, no,' Rey told her, moving from her post in the corner. 'But the people who sent her, the rich and powerful in the galaxy, oh yes.'

'It's not my fault slavery was relaxed during the war,' Rose seethed. 'Appeasing war profiteers was one way the First Order got the best stuff.'

'As well as playing around themselves?' Rey grinned, lifting an eyebrow at her.

Rose snorted. 'Snoke had an entire estate in the Canto Bight mountains. A gift from the system to appease him, but he only went once. He preferred to be at war.'

'What happened to that estate?' Rey asked, her mind immediately wondering if that meant Ben had been there at some point in time.

'Seized by the Republic,' Rose sighed. 'It's now the secondary meeting chambers for the Senate should Naboo… well, should Naboo cease to be.'

A shiver ran through both women. 'Wise,' Rey said at last.

At that time, a staffer dressed in a flowing skirt suit with a fitted top came in with a datapad and a cup of tea for Rose. 'Your next meeting is here, ma'am.' She told her.

Rose took the tea before turning to Rey, 'You don't have to stay here, you know? You can go check out your university if you want.'

The Force gave Rey a firm no before she could think of opening her lips. 'I think it best I stay,' Rey told her, fingernails scratching her new robes more suited for a Jedi. 'If you don't mind?'

'No way,' Rose grinned. 'I'm glad you're back.'

Rey felt her hesitation, saw her linger on a question before turning around. Finn had told her something about The Incident, but it was not enough for Rose. She wanted to know the whole truth. Rey smoothed her billowy trousers and inhaled. She would have to wait until Rey was comfortable telling the truth about what transpired between her and Poe. Unless he spoke first, which was highly unlikely.

The next meeting was with none other than Finn. He walked in, dressed in a formal suit of burnished gold with a simple black mesh design on his shoulders and cuffs atop solid black trousers. Rey took in his wardrobe with a gentle smile. During the war, she could tell he was somewhat uncomfortable wearing the same outfit all the time with questionable methods for cleaning said outfit. She had always imagined him in the First Order with at least three sets of clothes aside from formal wear to Stormtrooper functions. Now, with his position, he could buy an entire market's worth of fabric and the seamstress to measure and cut them!

Rey looked down at her wardrobe as Finn helped himself to a cup of tea Rose had ready for her meetings. This outfit had been in her room when she returned to Finn's house in the waning dawn after the funeral. BB-8 had told her that a droid from the upper echelon seamstress had dropped it off and that more were to supposedly follow. She had visited that seamstress an hour later, turning them all down except for this one and a formal set that had already been made for her and was being packaged. Nubian women could change wardrobes with each thought and garden party invitation, Rey would not.

'Rey,' Finn called over his shoulder, 'I'm glad you're here, you could use this!'

At once, Rey moved forward to the second chair in front of Rose's desk. She watched his chest sputter, taking in her overlapping white top robe, her billowy trousers, and the comfortable heavy fabric over robe. The moment he realized she was watching him, he turned to face Rose, whipping out his holopad and clearing his throat.

'We've gotten word on the last attacks on the trade route,' He began. He tapped the blue screen, and at once a snake-like line appeared, dotted with red diamonds along it's back.

'That's,' Rey gasped, eyes widening, 'A lot of attacks.'

'Right,' Finn told her. 'Which is why it's for your eyes only.' He glanced from Rey to Rose. 'The Outer Rim territories attacks have been labelled as pirates cashing in. But these here,' He touched three diamonds closest to Rose. 'These are unknowns. They're too coordinated to be pirates, but not organized enough to be former First Order.'

'Were these the ones that killed Emissary Tobin?' Rose asked, leaning forward.

'No, those were from Kanjiklub,' Finn told her. 'They've been arrested, and their trial is going to happen while we're gone.'

'What are these attacks?' Rey asked, pointing to a large portion of the route that he had yet to even glance at.

Silence reverberated between Rose and Finn, both sets of eyes meeting the other. Finn inhaled, 'These are too coordinated to be a coincidence,' He told her. 'These twelve here,' He took the time to tap them, little red halos orbiting them, 'These are former First Order strongholds. Andara, Kelada, Deveron, Teyr, all of these were where First Order officers lived with their families, and this is where the new Order was going to be established. They're not going down without a fight, despite their senators all being fairly elected under New Republic rules and pledging to adhere to the constitution.'

'I'm guessing the lovely Senator Kavrid is one of them?' Rey asked.

Rose and Finn exchanged a very unamused chuckle.

'Senator Kavrid,' Rose began slowly, 'Rumour has it, was next in line behind General Hux.'

'He was,' Finn stated, 'But the good general was jealous of anyone who could take his place and so had him shipped off to a moon somewhere and so he survived the Battle of Exegol.'

'Allegedly,' Rose insisted, giving a small look to Finn. 'Former officers of the First Order are not allowed to run for office.'

Rey chuckled, watching them exchange shakes of the head and murmured doubts.

'So,' Rey called, drawing their attention. 'Where will we be going?'

The Outer Rim. Where Rey had always called home, they were to head. Too many ships and emissaries had fallen near the pirate system of Courkrus, meaning that Rey's position as a Jedi was going to be less peace-inducing and more peacekeeping. She was fine with that. She hadn't been in a good fight in some time and although she didn't particularly like fighting, she did miss it! Finn gave her a summary of the parsec, none of it really helping much. A handful of planets, all sharing a single sun, all boasting a culture surrounding oceans and piracy.

When they broke for lunch, Rose let Rey know that she wasn't going to be in the office for the rest of the day to prepare for the journey and so Rey was free to do as she pleased. Rey knew she had to eat. She knew it and yet walked down the avenue of food vendors without looking up from the datapad Finn had given her. Her stomach growled, reaching out to the frying oils and roasting meats, bundles of vegetables grown in the box gardens of peoples homes, and fish pulled from the lakes.

There will be time to eat, She told herself, rereading the information given to her. Before Rey knew it, she nearly stumbled on the steps of an ornate brick building, a solid stone sign engraved with the word, 'Library.' Rey lowered her datapad and took the steps, another first added to her mental checklist.

The aisles were filled with blue streams framed in gold. The mere touch of a gold frame withdrew a virtual book and allowed anyone to scan it briefly before sliding it back onto the shelf or eject a small flat chip that could project the book to read at the reader's leisure. Rey looked at several books, not for their topics but rather that they could be taken by anyone with a membership bracelet.

'Anything I can help you with, my dear?'

Rey turned and saw an older woman dressed in a simple brown dress with sleeves the bulbed on the upper arm and forearm. Her smile was soft, and she appraised Rey with quick, hawkish eyes.

Rey inhaled. Oh, why not? 'I'm looking for information on the Jedi?'

'Oh yes!' The Librarian smiled. 'We have many books recovered from the Imperial Wars courtesy of the Resistance. What did you have in mind?' She gestured down a wide aisle and began moving towards an area Rey thought was storage or even a foundling nursery.

'Well,' Rey began. 'I have many, many questions.'

'Interested in becoming a Jedi?' The Librarian grinned.

'Not exactly,' Rey smiled, shifting her body to show her her lightsabre.

'Oh!' The Librarian gasped, coming to a complete stop. 'Oh! Are you…?'

Rey nodded, 'Master Rey Skywalker.'

The Librarian cupped her mouth and bent her knees low, bowing her blonde head streaked with silver. 'Master Skywalker!' She cried, tears dotting her eyes as she rose. 'My-my aunt was the librarian of the Jedi temple! She was said to have slain at least six Stormtroopers and uploaded some of the intimate servers to a secure stream. Preserved some of the greatest histories of the Jedi!'

'Did she really?' Rey asked, her feelings whirring with the thought that she could finally put a face to the Jedi Who Came Before.

But, the Librarian was still excited for an entirely different reason. 'You have no idea how pleased I am to finally meet a Jedi!'

Rey's smile widened, and she wanted to say something, but stopped. Instead, she called to the Force, and inhaled. 'As pleased as lavender bread soaked in honey, served with milk tea, just like your mother used to serve you when meat was scarce.'

The Librarian sputtered and touched her throat, but Rey continued.

'Your aunt… died, when you were young, but she took you to Coursant on occasion. That's where you wanted to be a librarian. In the Jedi Temple Library.'

The Librarian laughed, a pleasing melody mixed with tears. 'You truly are a Jedi!' She cried.

Rey smiled and nodded. 'As my master taught me to be.'

'Oh, come on, then!' The Librarian grinned, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. 'Let me show you to your library.'

'My library?' Rey asked, smile fading.

'Oh yes!' She cried, looking down the aisle. 'I'll fix you your own key. But by decree, only a Jedi can have unlimited access to the Jedi histories and annals. I'll take care of it, of course!' She grinned at the thought. 'But these books, are yours.'

She touched Rey's elbow and bade her follow, sweeping an arm out to the sectioned off area. The area was a rotunda of marble and fine glass that obscured the inside contents. The Librarian touched her key, fitted on a gold chain and secured around her neck, to the access pad. The doors unlocked, (Rey felt at least three heavy bolts of steel) and pushed the door open. The moment she did, Rey froze, a wash of Force energy hitting her like a stiff wind.

At once, voices whispered to her, their voices overlapping.

The Librarian asked her something, but Rey couldn't answer, she could only stagger back, eyes twitching back and forth but not seeing anything in the present.

'They're here,' She murmured, hoping to not come off as rude to the Librarian. 'They're… speaking… to me…'

They were pleased. Some were angry, something about calling herself a Master. She didn't have the right, but she was the last remaining Jedi, so who cared? Apparently, the Jedi Who Came Before cared. A lot.

One by one, the voices faded, wishing her well. They spoke only her given name, the feeling of warmth flowing through her limbs.

Rey, the voice of Leia breathed. May the Force be with you.

She inhaled, eyes blinking and settling her sight on the aisle of blue streaming books, two Nubians peering curiously at her. Rey turned, seeing the Librarian holding her hand and back, stooped over as she had guided Rey to sit on a study table.

'Are you alright, Master Skywalker?' She asked, worried eyes scanning her face.

'I am fine,' Rey gasped. 'They're pleased. They're happy that I've found their histories. They want me to take care of them, ensure that the knowledge of the Jedi is shared.'

The Librarian smiled, 'And share it we shall.'

SWSWSW

Asteroid Belt, Courkrus Parsec

_The High Noon _rested on the surface of a trusty asteroid, orbiting around the Courkrus moons. For three days, the crew had waited, listening to the intercepted transmissions from Republic trade ships. Three days of gambling with chance dice, and exchanging gossip and stories of raids from long ago. Everyone, but the Dragon participated. The Dragon stayed in his corner, watching the men, and sharpening his already razor-sharp swords. No one spoke to him. They already knew that he didn't want to speak to anyone. He wanted his payment, and he wanted to leave. He had already proven time and again that he would be there for his crew, but he would not share their enthusiasm for piracy.

'He was right,' A mechanical voice shouted.

The whetstone stopped halfway down the sword, the Dragon's head half rising.

From the cockpit, a pilot droid entered the common area. Half black, and half gold plate, it had only a central eye and a welded cut where a microphone could be seen to serve as it's mouth.

'Who was right, Nine-Nine?' Carver asked, setting down a hand of cards.

'The Dragon. He was right not to take the Republic ships. My schematics conclude that those vessels were not trading ships, but organic matter scanning proved them to be filled with soldiers.'

Several of the crew barked at him, sitting up straight and looking from the droid to the Dragon. If the Dragon cared enough, he would have noticed that money exchanged hands a few times with those not barking behind the backs of those who were. Carver stood, and walked over to the droid, taking from him a silver map disk. He clicked it, shooting a wide blue beam to the ship floor, showing the crew a layout of the Courkrus trade route, including the latest transcribed transmission.

'I don't believe it,' Carver grinned. 'They called in the last Jedi.'

'Did they, really?' Another man, the Lion, half laughed. He and the other crew stood, reading over the latest transmission, impressed that their actions deemed a Jedi necessary.

One by one, they turned and stood aside, watching the Dragon saunter forth, eyes darting over the map.

'Looks like you're going to have a worthy opponent, Drago,' Carver chuckled. 'Don't want your special skills going to waste.'

The Dragon ignored him, rereading the transmission. This was going to be a dogfight. Every man present knew it and the likelihood of them surviving was fading the more they looked at the map. Then he did something the crew had never seen, something that thoroughly frightened them.

Ben smiled.

SWSWSW

There was something about setting off on a new adventure that made the _Millennium Falcon _look just a bit more enticing than it's every day. Rey ran her hand over the sagacious panelling, and sighed. 'Another day, _Falcon_,' She told it. 'Another adventure another time.' The ship didn't respond. It simply stood there, waiting for its master to come and guide it to another fight.

Rey turned and sighed, her eyes taking in the sleek white prototype model Naboo Republic ship. It would hold a crew of thirty, with up to seventy passengers. Not that it would hold that many passengers, but with Rose's wardrobe and six handmaids and assistants each carrying a piece of luggage and office equipment, it would certainly feel like it. The crew was going to be at a minimum of ten, as well. All of them recognizing that this could be their last voyage. All of them looking at Rey with worried eyes and hopeful feelings. She was a legend from the First Order War, she was a Jedi now, she should keep them all safe. Rey nodded to them, swallowing the bile that bubbled in her throat. She would do her best to save them all, but if it came down to an army against her, she didn't know. She wasn't Luke Skywalker, she couldn't face them with just a laser sword.

'Ready to fly?' Poe asked, moving towards her, a wide grin on his face.

Rey's nails dug into her crossed arms, but she smiled regardless. 'Always.'

Poe sighed, looking up at the _Millennium Falcon. _'Wish this was what we were flying,' He moped, taking in the old ship with a soft smile. 'So many good memories.'

'Some of them not involving a fire brigade,' Rey blurted.

Poe lifted his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side. 'Yeah. A few.'

Rey said nothing, merely focused on the crew and staff loading the other cruiser.

'Still remember the first time we met,' Poe smirked, looking at her. 'Never thought a ship looked so beautiful as it did on Crait.'

Rey shifted her weight and mashed her lips. She remembered that time, but that wasn't the point. It was how many times she had remembered it with _him _that made her uncomfortable.

'Rey,' Poe scoffed. 'It's been three years. When are you going to forgive me?'

Rey whirled on him, dropping her hands so that her fingers brushed her folded lightsabre and blaster at the same time. Poe didn't move, but his feelings blared alarm.

'When you ask for it,' She growled.

'I would if you gave me a chance!'

'You didn't need one the last time we were together,' She snapped, 'Last time, you just took!'

'I was angry, Rey!' Poe defended, throwing his hands up and rotating in an exasperated circle. 'The Senate seemed on the verge of collapsing! _Again! _There was that, and then us-!'

'Still not hearing an apology,' Rey told him, shifting her weight to her left leg and looking at him. 'I know what was happening, I was there. I just didn't know what was happening with you, you wouldn't tell me. You would just, shoot off an insult and walk away. Funny how it's only unacceptable behaviour when I do it.'

'Because you could always find me, Rey!' Poe hissed, whirling around to face her. 'You could always come to me and tell me everything. When you left, you vanished! No word, no transmission, nothing! Just…' He stood there, shoulders exaggerating his breath.

Rey looked at him, lifting an eyebrow. 'I did leave word,' She told him, her voice soft and firm. 'I did leave word where you could find me. You did find me when you needed me.' She took a step away from him, eyes locked on him as she went. 'You just didn't love me like you said you did.'

SWSWSW

'What happened between Rey and Poe?' Rose asked, one foot on the ramp of her transport ship.

Finn set his bag down, watching Rey march (that was the correct way to describe her gait this time around. Military march) away from Poe whilst he looked on and wiped his face with his gloved hand in utter defeat. Finn sighed.

'What do you know about the two of them?' He asked, turning to face Rose.

'Nothing much,' Rose confessed. 'During the war, they were friends slash reluctant allies what with Poe being well, Poe and Rey not putting up with his crap.' She ground her teeth one over each top tooth, waiting for him to respond. 'After the war, I don't know. I was too involved with the senate to focus on you guys.'

Finn inhaled. 'I don't know very much,' He began, 'Neither of them is talking about it, whatever It is. But, well… they dated for a little while.'

Rose staggered backward, eyes widening so big they almost fell out of her face. 'What?!'

Finn sighed, and said, 'Yes.'

'For how long?!'

'Not that long.'

'And you didn't tell me?!'

'You were busy!' He defended.

'When did this happen?'

'I'd say about four years ago? Right around the Summer of 03.'

Simultaneously, they both shuddered. That was not a good year. Not to the senate, nor the people who ran it, it was perhaps the worst year because that was the time the First Order almost came back. That was the year they thought they would go to war again.

'That was not a good time for anyone,' Rose murmured, her look haunted. 'Could stress out any relationship.'

'Ain't that the truth,' Finn exhaled. 'All I know is that Poe did something and it upset Rey. I don't know what, I've tried asking everyone who was around them; droids, humans, aliens, and no one knows because they were alone when it happened. But he admits it was his fault and she…' He swallowed, glancing quickly to Rey before continuing, 'She told me she was leaving. She couldn't stay here and, when I tried asking why, she just,' He lifted a hand and waved it in front of him. 'Nothing. She clammed up and hasn't said anything. About a year later, she sent a transmission saying she was sorry. To me, she was sorry, not to Poe. After that, it was just hard to get her to speak. She would read my messages, occasionally send me back a paragraph of reply. Nothing intimate, nothing telling me what she was doing, or how she was. Just, proof of life.'

'Finn,' Rose breathed, taking in his frame. 'You lived like that for four years?'

Finn nodded. 'I waited. It seemed like the best thing to do was to wait for her.'

'But, Jhanna?'

Finn recoiled, that name hurting him almost as much as Rey's. 'Jhanna went with Lando to find her family, I can't blame her for that. She chose her path. Rey…' He shook his head softly. 'It's like she's always being tossed around like a rock. No one to really connect with her, you know?'

'Well, that's not entirely your fault, you know?' Rose grumbled, lifting an eyebrow. 'She isn't what I'd call a chatterbox.'

Finn half laughed. 'Not to you,' He told her. 'To those she's comfortable with, you can't get her to shut up! She notices everything. How the bread looks like a sample of cells, how the heat on Naboo comes in waves rather than daggers, how certain people stick to only four or five topics and then nothing. It's, insane, how much she notices stuff.'

Rose looked at him, both eyebrows rising slowly. 'And, why did she date Poe and not you?'

The gentle smile that had been blooming on Finn's lips faded suddenly and his eyes widened. 'Well, um, I think it's because Poe asked her first. You know? He beat me to her.'

Rose exhaled, rolling her eyes to the wispy clouds up above to grant her patience. 'Finn, you realize, we're going to be on a ship for nine weeks, maybe more?' She looked at him, 'If Poe's chances are shot, then there are about ten other men that could find the guts to ask her out before you do.'

'What, do you mean?' Finn asked, his face not nearly as stupid as it could have been.

'Hurry up and ask her out,' Rose stated, her chin lowering a fraction to stare at him. She hesitated, weighing her words before blurting, 'Do it before someone else breaks her heart. Because, that's how all relationships end,' She took a step back, moving into her ship, 'Either in heartbreak or marriage.'

She left him looking aside, the weight of her words hitting him so hard that when Rey walked up next to him, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Rose darted inside, a hand clamped over her mouth to keep from giggling.

SWSWSW

Politics was an endless barrage of not being bored and trying to discern what someone wanted without them stating it outright. In nine days, they visited six Outer Rim Territories. Mornings were spent reaffirming royalty and senators that the Republic wasn't going to fall apart at the first opportunity. Evenings were spent with the same type of crowd with similar assurances but with the benefit of music and the opportunity to stay in one of their lush royal suites. All invitations were denied in favour of staying with the ship. It was something Rey would not bargain with, no matter how delicate the situation. Rose would stay where she could be guarded and their ship would be ready to sail at a moment's notice.

It was easy for her to fall back into ship life, though she was not one of the crew and didn't need to do any chores. She was given quarters across from Rose's, a simple room comprising of a twin bed with a nightstand and chest of drawers, simple bathing and relief section and a writing and breakfast table. She could go anywhere she pleased, the cockpit, the infirmary, the meeting room, Rose's room, below deck, everywhere without invitation. Though she elected to knock on Rose's door, she did have the authority to barge in if need be. The first night, Rey didn't sleep. She paced around her room, meditating unsuccessfully every now and again, but she didn't sleep until that evening after making sure the Force was well-tuned to Rose and letting her know of any threats on hers or her family's lives. After the third day, Rey realized with a laugh that she, Finn, and Rose were so fatigued with the travelling because they were so hypervigilant for enemy First Order ships, so ready to jump to their posts by guns and pilot ships that they sat tensed, muscles unyielding, and listening for the first sound of attack.

She saw little of Poe. He preferred to stay in the cockpit, chatting with the piloting crew. The times when they did interact, it was awkward and pointed, not going beyond politeness and neither person moving closer than a table's length.

Rey rubbed her neck on the ninth night, willing her tense muscles to ease themselves. She had just stood for seemingly endless hours behind Rose at a particularly contentious meeting with a man who appeared to be more pirate than politician. They had agreed to a tense treaty with the New Republic, but Rey felt the senator was still uncertain, and was more likely to tear the document apart the moment they left. She moved down a particular corridor, nodding to a gaggle of handmaids as they passed. There was an observation deck if she continued, a beautiful spot decorated with live plants that gave off fragrant scents. It was perfect for recuperation! Perfect for a moment's respite…

Poe was sitting on one of the sofas staring out at the vast space, admiring the spiralling galaxies and nebulae, the stars that heated entire systems and the rings around planets. He looked up when Rey let out a small gasp.

'Oh hey,' He called. 'Just, looking.'

'Just going by,' Rey told him, shooting a glance to the lovely bay windows before lengthening her step.

'You don't have to leave,' Poe told her, his voice soft enough to make her turn. 'And your quarters are in the other direction meaning that you were going on a power walk or coming here.'

Rey paused, looking at him, her lips mashed together.

'Can we talk?' He asked, sitting up straight. 'Just, you and me?'

Rey inhaled through her nose. 'The last time we talked didn't go so well.'

'I'm sorry,' Poe told her, looking down to his hands for a moment before glancing up at her. 'I – I really am. What I did, I shouldn't have done. Ever. There's… no excuse for it. I hurt you and I shouldn't have.'

The words entered Rey's ears, but didn't move past her jaw. She had wanted to hear an apology for four years, but now that she was getting it, it didn't seem worth anything.

'Why are you apologising?' She asked, lifting her chin slightly. 'Why now?'

Poe hesitating, the words 'because you wanted me to apologise' flashing strongly on his features. He shook it away, and exhaled.

'I want you back,' He breathed. 'I want to try again. Being with you these few days has only reminded me of what we had. And, I want to try our relationship again.' He looked up at her, and cocked an eyebrow, making his face even more handsome. 'What do you say?'

There it was. His apology sank to her chest and sat there for a moment. A second chance? He was really thinking she could love him again?

'Poe,' She began, 'I thank you for apologizing.'

'But it's a no,' He sighed, sinking into the sofa.

'It's a no,' She confirmed.

'Why?' He asked, moving to get up, but he stopped and kept himself seated. 'Why not, Rey? Is there someone else? Has Finn asked you?'

She shook her head. 'No, there's no one.'

'Then why not?' He pressed, his eyes pleading as he moved to the edge of the sofa, nearly falling off.

She swallowed and met his eyes. 'Poe, I don't exaggerate when I say this: I feel safer remembering encounters with Kylo Ren than I do with you here now.'

He recoiled as though he had been shot. He had, really. But, it was the truth.

'Haven't heard that name in a while,' He murmured. 'I thought he was "Ben."'

'Yes,' Rey told him, shifting her weight. 'Ben Solo.'

'If you liked him so much,' Poe sniffed, 'Why didn't you go out with him?'

Rey froze, fire and ice surging from her heart. 'I would have if we'd had more time.'

'You had all the time in the world,' Poe grunted, rising. 'You had him at your beckon-call. He wouldn't leave you alone even when you wanted him to go away!'

Rey said nothing, but she did move her hand to her blaster.

'What?' He demanded, whirling on her. 'You going to shoot me?'

'Go ahead,' Rey growled, 'Show me why I should forgive you.'

He halted, foot halfway in the air. He set it down and exhaled. 'Rey-'

'I forgive you,' She told him. 'That doesn't mean that I'll forget any time soon.' She turned her heel and marched back down the corridor towards her quarters.

The Force jolted her, forcing her to grab a grip handle in the corridor. Danger! A great danger was about to hit them!

'Poe!' Rey shouted. 'Poe! All hands on deck!'

'What?' He asked, moving into the corridor.

The ship jolted sideways, nearly sliding him onto her with a yelp. The ship shuddered, and alarms began burping throughout.

'What the?' Poe demanded, latching onto the same grip handle as Rey.

Rey, on the other hand, couldn't breathe. At once, she felt peace, a solid piece emerging from the Force to unite a jagged and long-forgotten half within her. She inhaled a shaky breath. Her dyad, her missing piece, was near!

_Please review!_


	6. Chapter 6

_We are officially isolation-in-place. Which is good for you my readers because now you get a new update!_

_Please review!_

Chapter 6

Poe and Rey bolted through the ship shoulder-to-shoulder, Rey tearing off when she reached Rose's corridor while Poe continued on to the bridge. The ship shuddered violently, the unmistakable tremor of a torpedo hitting the shields. Boy, did that bring back memories!

'Rose!' Rey shouted, stumbling to her feet. 'Rose!'

'Rey!'

Rey burst into Rose's quarters, finding one of her massive trunks had fallen onto one of her handmaids. Rose had grabbed one of the handles but was finding that moving the trunk with the ship shaking her across the floor a nearly impossible feat.

'Let go!' Rey shouted, gripping the doorframe.

Rose dropped the handle and Rey shot her hand out. The trunk flew across the reception floor, landing on an upright stationary chest of drawers and scattering the datapads within. The handmaid writhed and moaned, but moved away towards Rose.

'What's happening?' Rose demanded, eyes wide as she wrapped her arms around her handmaid.

'We're under attack!' Rey told her. 'Someone's firing on us! Where're your other handmaids?'

'At the baths!' She cried. 'They saw me off and they went! Cyra stayed with me!'

'To the blast room!' Rey commanded. 'The girls will have fifteen minutes to arrive or they will be locked out!'

'What about Finn?' Rose cried, unmoving.

It struck Rey like a falling piece of luggage. Rose loved Finn! More than what Rey felt for him, this was genuine ardour! Was she the one who had left the women's products at Finn's house? Rey shook her head and pointed her finger over Rose's head. 'Blast room, now!'

It was an ordinary-looking room in Rose's elegant quarters. A secondary conference room with removable lounge sofas of crimson velvet and elegant gold embroidery that had been tacked down for this voyage, though their silk white pillows had been strewn about. Above the sofas was Rose's private observation room with onion top pointed windows separated by wide bulb pillars. What made this room invaluable was that it had steel panels surrounding it with an individual control system for the windows and the door. Below had it's own oxygen system, though dependent on the primary thruster engines, and could even manage an escape pod for twelve people under the carpet. Rose collapsed onto one of the sofas as did Cyra, though all three sets of eyes flew to the windows to see a foreign ship on the horizon, circling strategically and firing upon them.

Rey inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, calling to the Force. Where was he?! If he was here, why couldn't she feel him?! She could feel the quiet of space interrupted by the chaos of battle. The fear of the crew mingled with the calm determination of the pirate ship. The quickening heartbeat within Rose, and the ravenous, unquenchable thirst of adventure.

Rey swallowed. She had felt that hunger before! That desire to be free and to attack those who had given looming oppression. It was him! It had to be him! But, where…

She gripped the doorframe, nails scratching the metallic surface. He was on the other ship! Ben Solo, her dyad and momentary love, was on the opposing ship! Rey set her jaw and shot out with the Force with as much strength and power she had, imagining the link she had felt when they had connected through the Force. It had always been unpredictable, but she pushed that fact aside.

'Ben,' She hissed through clenched teeth. 'Is that you? What are you doing?'

She inhaled, her heart jolting against her breastbone even as the ship shuddered once again beneath her fingers. He had heard her loud and clear.

'What are you doing?' She demanded again. 'Do you want to hurt me again?!'

I gave my life for you.

She gasped, his voice solid wood within her soul. 'Then what are you doing?'

Trust me. Please, Rey. I'm not going to hurt you, so don't try and fight. Whatever you do, don't fight.

'Its why they brought me here,' She gritted. 'I've been commissioned to fight!'

Don't!

His word was firm, pleading even. That's when it dawned on her: he was on that ship for the same reason as she was on this one! He was their muscle as she was Rose's!

Don't fight, Rey! I'll have to fight you if you do. I don't want to do that. Please, trust me. Just like you did on Exegol, please trust me.

Rey's eyes flew open, seeing Cyra unlock spare blasters and a commlink.

'Master Skywalker!' She called, tossing her the little silver piece.

Rey caught it with one hand, and looked at her. 'Don't shoot anything unless I tell you to.' She commanded. 'I mean it.'

'Yes, master!' Cyra replied, nodding.

Rey pressed the commlink to her lips and called, 'Poe! What's happening?'

A door opened behind her, revealing Poe and Finn with three handmaids in tow. 'Bridge is destroyed!' Poe shouted, nearly falling onto his face as yet another tremor rattled the ship. 'We're going to have to get into the evacuation ship!'

'What do they want?' Rey called, looking from one man to the other.

'They haven't said!' Finn called. 'First shot took out the command bridge, now they're just trying to see whose going to try and escape.'

'Don't know why they're shooting!' Poe argued. 'But they're shooting at us and the evacuation ship has blaster cannons!'

Rey held up a hand the moment they were allowed to jump to their feet. They halted before her, half of their bodies longing to bolt forward, the other half rooted in place.

'They're boarding,' Rey told them. 'We can stand or flee, but they're going to get to us one way or the other.'

Silence ripped throughout the rooms, all eyes turning to Rey. She was right. They could hear the shouts of men echoing in the corridors, the shuddering beneath them coming in sporadic hums of protest of their thrust engines trying to head in the same trajectory as the last command had dictated and the tractor beams of the opposing ship holding them in place. From somewhere, they heard a woman's scream wail across the ship. She protested, grunted from a fight… then fell completely silent.

'We can fight them,' Finn breathed, looking at Rey.

'We're going to have to,' She told them.

'We can shoot down their ship!' Poe protested, his voice shaking.

'And then what?' Rey demanded. 'They'll be more motivated to find us!'

'GUYS!'

Rey's lightsabres were on before she whirled around and gasped. Pirates, all dressed in black armour, all with their faces covered with different mythic and predatory animals, crawled over the roof of the ship and peered into the Blast Room at them.

'Hang on!' Rey screamed, shooting her hand out the exact moment the pirates broke the glass with an earsplitting CRACK! The gravity sucked from the room, tearing from within pillows, datapads, the four handmaids, and if it hadn't been for Rey and the Force, Rose as well.

The pirates had done this before, anyone could see that. Anchored to the roof of the ship, the pirates shot after the women and grabbed them by whatever limbs were available in one hand, spun them around, and clapped breathing apparatuses onto their mouths before rocketing back to the roof of the ship to take them away before they froze to death.

Rey planted her feet with the Force, blood rushing in her ears and the clamour of the uprooted room freefalling into space. Rose dangled, eyes pinched shut, her cheeks reddening as she held her breath. From the corners of Rey's eyes, she could see Poe latch onto Finn's legs, Finn holding on for dear life to a bolted lamp. Rey glanced up at the button to close off the windows, knowing that she would have to sacrifice either her grip on Rose or her ligtsabre. She inhaled as best she could, focusing on the Force through the din.

She yanked her outstretched hand back, and released Rose, shooting out her hand once again to hit the button that sealed the bay windows. The giant metal panels cut across the chaotic stars, catching Rose's dress, but keeping her within the confines of the ship.

Rey gasped, dropping her hands and shoulders, her head pounding in the eerie silence.

'You alright?' Rey called, eyes searching Rose's frame.

Rose pressed a hand to her chest, and nodded.

Rey whirled around, feet somewhat solid, intent on asking Finn and Poe if they were alright themselves when from the open door two black-clad pirates barged in, one stunning Poe who was the first to his feet.

Rey shot the Force to the pair of them, sending one crashing into the other and the both of them into the corridor. She reignited her lightsabres and bolted after them, screaming over her shoulder at Finn to take care of Rose.

The Force screamed a warning, prompting her to slide out of the room as a pirate with a rifle thrust the long barrel like a baton at where her face would have been. Rey skidded out of the room, bent her lightsabre and plunged one searing beam into his stomach, the other cutting off an outstretched blaster barrel and several fingers.

Both men howled in her ears, the smell of cooking meat and burned leather turning her stomach. She deactivated her lightsabres and jumped to her feet, whirling around the corridor. There were two access points to the Executive Suite, from the pilot bridge and from below decks via the Observation Deck. They appeared to be coming from the Observation Deck as they still had oxygen when the bridge was gone.

Ben's words echoed in her mind, but she couldn't obey them! This was her family! This was her life's purpose! She had to protect them, she had to fight!

Rey marched down the corridor to the Observation Deck, seeing the bodies of the remaining crew strewn about the floor, their gold necklaces signifying their ranks stripped from their necks. Rey looked around, noting that some of the bolted fineries had been removed.

Scavengers, She thought. Unkar Plutt would be pleased with this haul. No one on Jakku had ever even seen gold before.

She looked up and a pirate emerged from the bowels of the lower decks. He saw her and immediately withdrew a sword from his back and dipped into a fighting stance. Rey detached her lightsabres and ignited them. The pirate flinched, the protruding teeth of his mask resembling more of a frightened boar than an intimidating monster.

They met in the middle of the floor, the pirate dodging both her lightsabre beams to slice her across the thigh. Rey screamed, gasping but not dropping her lightsabres. She whirled around, watching the pirate on his knees, his shoulder smoking from a swift blow.

The pirate rose, staring her down, ignoring his wound. He came at her again.

SWSWSW

Ben moved through the corridors, knowing that he wasn't going to be able to save the handmaids in his absence. The men would take them to sell at some slave market in the Outer Rim, after having their way with them first, of course. He inhaled, forcing himself to not feel for them. He had to find Rey! He had to find her before she levelled his chances of explaining anything to her.

He moved around the top of the ship, the frigid space chilling his joints and skin, but he kept going. He couldn't stop now. He bounced over the edge of the remains of the command bridge, a portable welder in hand. He pressed the flame cup to the metal of the blast doors and turned it on, allowing enough oxygen to start a flame that cut through the heavy doors. Of course, if he'd had a lightsabre, this would be easier!

He cut a hole big enough for his shoulders and pulled himself in, using the Force to close it behind him. He stood, immediately feeling Rey within the Force. He turned, following her light. She was scared. Scared for her new family, scared that oh!

He winced, looking down at his thigh. She must have been hurt. Who would have had the strength to hurt her?

He skidded to a halt as the head of one of his teammates thudded against a wall, rolling to his feet. The Boar. Of course, he would be the closest to touch Rey! He looked up, seeing two spinning gold beams flash before him, her growls echoing down the corridor.

Ben sighed. He told her not to fight! Then again, it was Rey and pirates were attacking her ship…

He moved towards her, butterflies attacking his stomach. He shook his head; since when did he get nervous?!

Rey was in full battle mode when he turned the corner, lightsabres flying and burning apart metal swords and steel armour. They tried shooting her, but being an accomplished Jedi as well as Rey Palpatine, that was nothing to her.

She wasn't going to give up. He knew the moment he saw her that she wasn't going to stop fighting until the rest of the crew was dead at her feet. That wasn't good. If she didn't stop, they'd go back to the Republic. They'd come for Courkrus in battalions. They would find him hiding among them…

Ben turned, seeing the Emissary and… the traitor, the one she called Finn. He turned back to Rey, and sighed. It was the only way.

He walked into the room, Finn looking up from the Emissary's side. He reached for a blaster, but it had been displaced. He exhaled, throwing up his fists, ready for a fight. Ben came at him, chin lowered, knowing exactly what to do.

Finn swung, but Ben dodged it and the second swing, catching his ribs with a knee that knocked the wind out of him, dropping him to the ground. Ben jerked his gloved hand back and jammed his fist into Finn's temple, sending his body collapsing into a heap.

'Finn!'

Ben looked up, seeing the Emissary shiver before him, her slanted eyes wide and her lips trembling. She kept her hand behind her back, her shivering making the blaster visible. He motioned for her to come near, not wanting to hurt her. Her hand shot out, her blaster shaking. He dodged her shots, wrenching her wrist back making her cry out as the blaster clattered to the floor. He yanked her into his chest, hooking his arm around her waist and dragged her towards Finn, flipping his body over so that he writhed on his back.

'Shut up,' He commanded, glancing down at the Emissary. From his bicep, he withdrew a knife and held it to her throat with the arm around her waist. With his free hand, he unsheathed a sword and pointed it downwards at Finn's head, resting a boot upon his chest for good measure.

Rey skidded into view, lighsabres swinging on either side of her hips, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him holding the two of them hostage. She was beautiful! Just as beautiful in person as when in the Force.

'Put your weapons down,' Ben commanded.

'Kill him, Rey!' The Emissary screamed.

'Wha-?' Finn gargled, trying to stand.

Rey said nothing. Her chest moved up and down, her eyes taking in his hair, his mask, his armour, and his hostages.

He nodded to her, calling to her in the Force.

Trust me, Rey.

She swallowed, the Emissary screaming at her once again, but they both ignored her. They could both feel more pirates enter the ship, all of them heading towards the twin beacons of light. She inhaled, and deactivated her lightsabres.

'What are you doing?!' The Emissary screamed.

'You better be right about this,' Rey hissed.

Ben sheathed his sword, eyes unyielding as no less than seven pirates thundered through the hallway, taking Rey's arms and forcing her against the wall. One of the pirates, the Rafthar, reached out and grabbed her breast in one hand, his other caressing her hips.

The dagger flew through the air, landing perfectly into his exposed neck and spraying Rey with a gush of crimson. The Emissary's feet hardly touched the floor as the Dragon stalked across the floor, her writhing body colliding with Rey's as he shoved the two women aside to take the knife from the Rafthar's throat, whipped him around, and slammed it into the delicate portion of his armour over, and over, and over again.

The Dragon reared up, black lens eyes making them all take a step back.

'No one, touches, the women.'

The pirate on his right, a solid mask that he knew to be Carver, lifted his palms in surrender.

'The ladies are yours, Dragon.'

The Dragon stood and turned around, seeing Rey connect her lightsabres together into a long handle before wrapping her arms around the Emissary in protection.

'It will be alright,' Rey whispered in her ear. 'Trust me, everything will be alright.'

He lifted his hand and pointed to the ground in front of them, making both of them gasp. Slowly, Rey stood, bringing the Emissary with her.

Trust me, Ben repeated in the Force. Trust me, one more time.

You better be worth it.

The words struck him so hard he almost staggered backward. If he failed her, if he betrayed her trust, she would kill him herself and this time there would be no mourning. No regret.

_Please review!_


	7. Chapter 7

_I have had a portion of this chapter written for some time now. I cannot believe it took me this long to connect the dots, but hey, we're here and I'm happy. _

_BTW, I'm going to up the rating on this story to Mature. Yeah, there's just some parts I want to tell that wouldn't bee appropriate with a T for Teen rating._

_But first, your next update:_

Chapter 7

They were muscled into a hybrid ship, Rose and Rey each in the grip of the one called the Dragon, with Poe's and Finn's bodies half dragged behind them. They must have had at least three ships with about twenty crew in each. Or, at least it felt that way.

Rey inhaled a slow, steady breath, concentrating on where the Dragon was taking them. In his other arm, Rose huffed, eyes darting everywhere, her feelings an explosion of anger, fear, distrust, terror, and worry. Rey could only imagine the first words to come out of her mouth when she thought it safe to speak.

Except for the Dragon, Rey could have taken the entire pirate crew. She could have fought them all and taken the ship they were being forced through as theirs so that they could be back along the Republic's trade route without a problem. What she couldn't understand was why Ben insisted that she didn't fight. He knew her, he knew she wouldn't simply sit idle while an attack was made on her and her family. What was he thinking?!

They moved down to a level that must have been a recreation room, complete with a holochess table that still had its monsters in place for continuous play. The Dragon urged them along, his grip nothing like it could have been. They neared an opening in the floor, and the Dragon stopped.

Rey was pulled forward, his black mask glaring down at her. 'You first, then the Emissary.'

Rose shot her a look, an urgent look pleading with her to do something amazing. Something to set them free! But, Rey knew, even if the Dragon didn't have her lightsabre, that there was nothing she could do at this point. She didn't know the ship, nor did she know what booby traps were being placed in their damaged ship and escape pod. Rey lowered her eyes, causing an internal scream to wail through Rose's feelings. She crawled down the opening.

The Brig, lined with cells that looked like they had been fitted with extra security for the transportation of passengers. Captives, Rey corrected, watching Rose descend. She wore nothing but a torn underdress, and her long black hair was tangled into a nest behind her ears. Her chin warbled in the unmistakeable mental chant of trying not to cry despite the sheer terror in one's chest. The Dragon dropped down behind her, his landing nearly silent. He hooked Rose around the shoulder and pressed a hand to the middle of Rey's back, guiding them to a cell big enough for two people.

'Sit tight,' He commanded, gently pushing them in. 'Don't escape.'

Rey whirled on him, watching him attach her fully extended lightsabre to his belt before pressing a button and locking them in, iron bars separating them.

The Dragon looked at them through the bars, a deep sigh raising and lowering his chest. Next to them, the boys were dumped unceremoniously into a cell and the door slid shut. The moment the cell door locked, the pirates whooped and shouted, celebrating their victory by peering around the Dragon's massive frame to leer at Rose.

'A pretty price you'll catch, m' dear!' One taunted.

'Some Jedi! Sure your boyfriend didn't teach you those moves, sweetheart?'

There could have been more, but the Dragon's presence, big and more than a bit intimidating, discouraged it. So the men guffawed and congratulated themselves on their way back to the Common Area. The Dragon lingered, watching them go, listening to the increasing silence. He turned back to Rey, lens eyes meeting frigid copper.

He stepped back and left. Without a word, he simply walked away.

'Rey?' Finn called, his voice timid. 'Rose? Are you guys there?'

'We're here!' Rose cried a little too loudly. 'Are you guys okay?'

'I got stunned in the chest,' Poe whined.

'We're okay,' Finn called. 'Just hold on tight. We're going to figure this out. Rey? Rey, are you there?'

'Don't do anything,' Rey commanded, situating herself on a steel shelf facing the door. 'Don't try to escape.'

'Rey, what's going on?' Rose cried, whirling back to her. 'Why didn't you take them out? You could have done it! We could have been in the secondary speeder right now!'

An explosion cut her off, the vibrations nothing compared to what they had been in earlier, but significantly more ominous.

'They would have blasted us into the next parsec,' Rey told her, two small pourstone balls left from the last prisoner rising to orbit each other in front of her face, a child. She knew that the moment she touched them that the last prisoner had been a child and had left so quickly he couldn't take his toys. 'Even with Poe on the guns, we would have been pushed into hostile territory. We are in the Hive systems, the pirate section of the galaxy. The one Finn had in his report.'

'And this is better than being in our own ship?!' Rose demanded, turning to face her full on. 'Rey! Talk to us! Tell us what you're thinking.'

Rey watched the pourstone balls levitate a full rotation before she answered. 'I can't,' She murmured. 'If I expose him, they'll attack him. He's keeping us safe. He…' She set her jaw, the balls rubbing against each other to create a puff of dust. 'He said, he would make things right.'

'Who?' Rose demanded. 'The pirate who put us in here?! Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen!'

Rey inhaled, the Force zinging around her like tendrils in an ivy garden. 'It will. Just wait.'

'And if it doesn't?!'

'Then I'll get you out of here,' Rey promised, her eyes fluttering shut. 'Even if it kills me.'

SWSWSW

Ben sauntered into the common area, watching the men congratulate themselves on a good capture. The handmaids had been put on another ship, one of the other Courkrus moons, and so the only prisoners that they had were Rey, Poe Dameron, Finn, and the Emissary.

'Here you go, Drago,' Carver told him, holding out a handblown bottle of lomin ale for him to drink. 'To the spoils of victory.'

Ben took the bottle watching as the men removed their masks and drank heartily, some of them even removing their weapons and armour as well.

'Did you get a good haul?' He asked, opening the bottle, but not removing his mask.

Carver laughed, 'Talk to me, boys! Did we get a good one?'

The men shouted war hoops and lifted their bottles above their heads, smiling and laughing, one of them holding up what looked like a silk gown stitched with a gold chain and what could pass as precious gems.

'Silk, gold, Naboo jewellery, on top of a sweet little escape cruiser,' Carver chuckled. 'On top of the slaves the other boys got, we're going to be sitting pretty for the next year or so.'

'Who wants to wait that long?!' The Lion laughed, turning and clapping hands with one of the other pirates.

'Peace, fellas,' Carver told them. 'Let's enjoy us a good victory before moving on to dessert, eh?' He stepped closer to Ben and turned his head so that he wasn't looking directly into his ear as he spoke. 'The boys were thinking of heading out to the Twi'lek baths on Navar. I know it's not exactly your thing but you've got your hands full with your ladies, don't you?'

Ben capped his lomin ale, and turned his mask slightly to Carver. 'Sure, I can keep busy.'

'Haha!' Carver cheered, clapping him on the shoulders. 'Hey, guys!' He turned, grin wide as he chugged the remainder of his lomin ale. 'Who wants a bath on Navar?'

Ben moved back towards his whetstone, setting the bottle down where a couple making out could reach it, the sounds of elated cheers falling on deaf ears. He took a seat, whetstone in hand, but he didn't take out any of his weapons. Instead, he lifted two fingers and shot the Force to a particular hiding cabinet that he knew Carver kept the stronger lomin ale and opened it. The men hooted their surprise, though Carver wasn't particularly happy about it. Then, they attacked the bottles and drank.

SWSWSW

The sounds of shouts and screaming resounded through the Brig in a sudden wave. Rose stopped her pacing in the cell and turned towards the door, the dull sound of hands against iron suggesting that Finn had done the same.

'What's that?' Poe's voice called.

Rey exhaled, feeling the Force from her position. It had been roughly two hours. Only two hours for him to figure out a plan.

'Rey!' Finn called. 'Rey! You know what's going on?'

A body fell down the Brig chute, followed by the strategic steps of the Dragon. He grabbed two blasters from the body and moved to the two cells. With his long arms, he tapped the code to open both cell doors, sending the iron rocketing aside, and tossed the blasters to the men and Rey's lightsabre to her.

'Coming or going?' He asked.

No one moved at first. The men looked at their weapons, but Rey stared straight at him. Whatever he was playing at, she had no choice but to trust it. She stood from her perch and activated her lightsabres, watching him lift his chin with awe. The gold beams illuminated against his mask, and she could see the breath catch in his chest as he admired her with it.

'Any left?' She asked.

'Yes,' He told her. 'In their quarters and securing the stolen goods. The pilot's bridge is open, though.'

Rey inhaled through her nostrils, 'Then let's fly.'

They moved, shoulder to shoulder to the chute, the Dragon the first up the ladder in case any of his crewmates happened upon the bodies. Finn called out to Rey, but she didn't hear him. She was on the Dragon's heels, watching his back for anything and everything. He didn't need to look over his shoulder, he knew she was there behind him. He led them down one corridor, then another, skidding to a halt the moment he neared the bridge.

'Still have ale?' Someone called.

'That way,' The Dragon told him, pointing towards Rey.

She had the man cut in half before she could see the surprise on his face, and followed after the Dragon without a second thought.

'Rey!' Finn called, jumping over the halved corpse. 'What are we doing?'

'Trust me,' She commanded over her shoulder.

'I do trust you,' Finn told her, appearing at her side. 'It's him I don't. What kind of pirate kills his crew?'

'Someone who isn't really a pirate,' Poe answered, appearing on Rey's other side for a moment before the corridor narrowed enough for one person at a time.

The Dragon opened the bridge door, his feelings jumping at the sight of two men at the controls, hardly turning to look over their shoulders. Without hesitating, the Dragon grabbed a knife from either bicep and slammed it into their necks making them squirm forward so that he could grab them by the shirt collars and wrench them from the pilots' seats back to Rey who passed them to Finn and Poe, who moved them passed Rose. Rey ignored the trail of blood on the floor, but from the feelings in the bridge, Rose and Finn did not.

'I need a co-pilot,' The Dragon commanded, turning half around.

'Poe,' Rey ordered, turning towards him. 'You're up.'

'Where're we going?' Poe demanded, moving past Rey to take the co-pilot's seat.

'With any luck,' The Dragon told him, taking his seat, 'Away from the Courkrus parsec. They won't be so friendly to a Jedi or a Republic Emissary.'

Rey turned to Rose, watching her look over the proceedings with a numbness that Rey had felt before. Rose was in shock, her numbing feeling the only thing her body could do to preserve itself.

'Hey,' She breathed. 'I'm going to get you out of here, okay? You're going to be back on Naboo before you know it.'

Rose's eyes moved towards her, the teardrop slants chilling Rey as she did so. 'Promise?'

Rey nodded, 'When have I ever let you down?'

'And if the worst should happen?' Poe asked, his voice a little louder than necessary.

'Then, you guys are going to be stuck on a pirate planet that wants to sell you each for whatever you're worth, so keep that in mind.'

'Right,' Poe scoffed, clicking buttons to match the Dragon's movements. 'What do I call you?'

'Call me Dragon for now,' the Dragon replied, seizing the steering toggles and manoeuvring them away from their current course.

At once, the transmitter started barking from at least two different ships.

'How many people know about this mission?' Finn demanded, taking a seat behind Poe.

'Two ships,' the Dragon answered, looking at the receiver, but not touching it. 'At least thirty guys left.' He shot a glance over his shoulder at Rey.

Rey would have retorted but something clattered down the corridor. A person. Rey pushed Rose to sit next to Finn and moved towards the bridge corridor. Too small for her staff sabre, she would have to fight either hand to hand, or use only one sword at a time.

'Rey,' The Dragon called, 'There's two more coming around to surprise you.'

'How do you know her name?' Finn snapped.

'He knows all our names,' Rey told him over her shoulder. 'We've met before.'

The Dragon froze midway through punching a button. He dared a glance at her, but didn't commit. He finished pushing and returned to his task.

'Where have we met?' Poe demanded, looking at the Dragon.

'How do we know you?' Finn questioned.

Rey held her breath, feeling the two men near her. She untwisted her staff just as the transmitter seemed to get louder. She attached one lightsabre to her belt and crouched almost squatting, and ignited her lightsabre. A heavy figure rounded the corridor and began firing a rapid round of crimson blaster shots.

_PEW! PEW! PEW!_

Rey dodged them all, sending them away from her friends, protecting the bridge. The second man neared the entrance, the hands of his whispered plan barely visible from the corridor. Rey gritted her teeth and continued blocking red laser after red laser, until the first man stopped and the second shot out what looked like a whip but detached into a dozen electric charged blades. Rey caught it with her lightsabre, the vibrations from the whip rattling her until her teeth chattered.

She had encountered a whip like this before, in Snoke's throne room against the Praetorian Guards. They hadn't been an easy battle then, and they were tough now, but Rey was not the same girl she had been in that fight. She jumped, ran up the side of the corridor, one, two, twisting the whip out of the man's hands, punching the first with as much power the Force could give her, landed on the grated floor, and sliced through both the deactivated whip and the second man from the hip to the shoulder. She watched, breathing deeply as the horrified face fell to the ground, forever to be his last emotion. She whirled around, cutting the arm of the first man clean off from the upper arm as he attempted to shoot her in her head.

He howled before her, writhing and stamping his feet, tears squeezing from hardened eyes into a rusty beard. Rey lifted her lightsabre, twirling in a forward windmill, and scarred him across the face, ending his squirming. She inhaled, a voice speaking to her from a wind churned from nowhere in the present space.

That was not the Jedi way.

Rey inhaled, and dropped to her knee, lowering her head as she did so. 'He would have killed us,' She breathed. 'He would have hurt us.'

It is not the Jedi way.

Mercy. The word seared into her mind. She should have shown a wounded man mercy.

Rey shook her head. Mercy was a luxury war survivors couldn't afford. At present, they were at war.

When will you show mercy?

Rey gasped, wanting to stand, but finding her knees unwilling to obey her command. 'Not now,' She gasped. 'Not here.'

Are you a true Jedi, then?

She fell forward, scraping her knee on the floor as her lightsabre clattered away from her reach. Rey looked up, seeing her lightsabre stop at the fallen arm of a pirate the Dragon had mutilated. What was the difference between him and her? Nothing. Nothing if she had no mercy for her prey. No pity, or heart. She exhaled, and flexed her fingers calling to her lightsabre. It zoomed through the air and landed perfectly in her palm, the action a relief. It still chose her.

Rey stood, and immediately felt the ship shudder with what she knew to be tractor beams. She whirled around and headed back into the bridge, eyes glancing from Poe to the Dragon who had grabbed the transmitter receiver and was barking into it some unknown language.

'What's happening?' Rey asked, looking at Poe.

'The other pirates are onto us,' Poe answered, looking up at her. 'They're pulling us to one of the Courkrus moons.'

'Why?' Rey demanded, looking from Poe to the Dragon.

'Drago here's not the usual pilot,' Poe explained, reaching up to attempt to destabilize the tractor beams. 'They're suspicious.'

'ASSHOLE!' The Dragon screamed, slamming down the receiver and grabbing the control toggles. He wrenched the ship to the right, jolting them out of their seats, but try as he might, the tractor beams were too strong.

'I know that voice,' Poe told him, 'Where do I know you from?'

'Can we go into hyperspace?' Finn suggested, helping Rose back into her seat.

'No!' Poe and the Dragon called.

'How bad will it be if they catch us?' Rey asked.

'Women at market get up to six hundred credits,' The Dragon told her, his strained voice suggesting he was gritting his teeth. 'Men and male body parts vary.'

'I'm sorry, what?!' Poe screeched.

'Yeah,' The Dragon gasped, releasing the toggles, watching them obey the tractor beams' commands.

'So let's not get caught,' Rey told them. The men turned full around in their seats to stare at her. 'You have smuggler's holes, don't you? And passages below decks? In case of Republic inspection?'

SWSWSW

The High Noon landed on the moon's surface, it's sister ships the High Tide and the High Cress landing on either side of it. Thankfully, there wasn't much of a landing party sober enough to disembark to check the crew of the High Noon, but that didn't make the matter all the less serious. The moon, Quenan, was a grassy terrain filled with canyons and deep rivers, with villages scattered throughout and villagers specializing in piracy and mechanics.

The High Noon was boarded quickly, the crewmen gasping at the sight of the bodies strewn about in careless, inconsequential heaps where they had been struck down.

'Find him!' Their leader commanded, a blue-skinned alien with pointed teeth. 'The Dragon should be amongst them.'

Rey clamped a hand to Rose's mouth, nearly cutting off her breathing as she did so. Rose was so frightened! She had never felt her be this frightened before! Finn had told Rey that Rose had been pivotal in the war when they had boarded Snoke's ship in an attempt to shut it down from the inside. The shivering figure that stood beside her, however, was long separated from the war.

The footsteps of the crew moved overhead, calling to one another, medical personnel examining the bodies to understand their attacker. They had been killed by a combination of a sword, a laser blade, and seemingly suicide as some of them had broken necks from no other reason than they turned their heads until their neckbones broke.

Finn touched Rey's shoulder, beckoning her to follow him. Rey turned, seeing the Dragon move slowly through the interior of the ship careful with every step and hand placement. Rey whispered to Rose, bidding her crawl ahead of her, to follow behind Finn. It was dark, and parts smelled overwhelmingly of sewage. Rey squirmed at the sticky floor, fighting to lift her knees and shoes from the muck. Overhead, they could hear the men shouting to each other, calling out for the Dragon using no other name than that. He never stopped, though. He continued through the bowels of the ship using a map only he knew, leading them to a completely darkened area that smelled less of sewage and more like the revolting churn of gasoline.

'We are right next to the fuel tanks,' The Dragon's voice told Rey, his deep voice the only thing tangible about him as his black garments were completely invisible. 'But we're closest to the ground without being seen by the other ships. Can you use your lightsabre to cut through the floor?'

'Oh yeah,' Poe's voice chided, 'Use a laser sword to cut through where the fuel tanks are!'

The gold beam lit up their faces, showing Rey positively annoyed. She closed her eyes, feeling the Force as it guided her, urging her to shift her bottom a little closer to the Dragon, before turning the blade towards the floor and stabbing it. She set her jaw and moved the searing blade in a circle big enough for the Dragon's broad shoulders, and let the circle drop to the grass below, filling the chamber with grey light and gentle breeze.

Rey was the first out, followed by Poe, then Rose, then Finn, and finally the Dragon. The grey light of the grassy moon was nearly blinding after the dank darkness of the bowels of the ship, but the fresh air was certainly welcome. The Dragon, awkward with his height, shifted towards Rey, motioning towards the other ships. They were towards the stern, away from were the standing guards were and from where a majority of the windows on the other ships were located. The Dragon touched Rey's arm and pointed ahead.

They had been parked on a plateau, one of many that overlooked a small village that was situated near a waterfall that came from an even bigger plateau than the one they currently sat upon. What made that plateau better than this one was a ship, smaller than the High Noon, but big enough for the five of them.

'My ship,' The Dragon told her. 'Hyperspace capability.'

Rey looked at him, comfortable in his mask, desperate to please her. She shook her head, her fury nearly blinding if she kept it up for too long. 'Let's go,' She hissed.

They tiptoed out from under the ship, the shouts of the men inside still wafting to them. Rey's primary concern was getting Rose in her voluminous underskirt down the ladder that scaled the side of the plateau to the village below. But, even as she moved, she had a small, beautiful comfort. She knew that it was going to be alright. She had a small bubble of hope that all was going to be made whole the moment they reached the village.

'HEY!'

'Run!' Rey screamed, grabbing Rose by the upper arm and urging her forward, Poe and Finn bolting ahead with her. Rey whirled around, in time to see the Dragon turn, withdraw a dagger and hurtle it at the shouter. It connected perfectly, abnormally, with his chest, sending the man doubling over and shouting.

The Dragon reached out the same time Rey did, their hands clasping together, and they dug their feet in and ran, full pelt towards the ladder. Blaster shots rang out around them, prompting them to duck but not stop their breakneck pace.

'How far down is the ladder?' Rey called, glancing quickly at the Dragon.

'Fifty feet!' He shouted.

Rey ignited her lightsabre, and inhaled, knowing exactly what had to happen. The Dragon dropped her hand, knowing as well. He ran faster, hooking his arm on the rail so that his body swung around perfectly, catching on the ladder rung for a moment to position himself and to shout down at the other three to slide rather than descend. They didn't have time to argue because the moment she got there, Rey slid over the side of the plateau, cut off the bolts keeping the ladder secure to the cliffside, and would have freefallen if it hadn't been for the Dragon's quick and firm arm.

Butterflies did not adequately describe that freefall! Rey's stomach dropped as she clung to the Dragon's arm, watching the cliff shoot over her head as he moved her to cling onto his waist so that he was free to slide down the ladder, the screams of Finn and Rose suggesting that they were in a similar position. The ladder, with momentum, tipped back from the cliffside, wrenching firm bolts from the rock reaching towards the outskirts of the village. Rey clung for dear life to the Dragon's waist with her eyes pinched shut, hoping, begging, the Force to be with them. Blood rushed in her ears, and the roar of the elderly metal made a racket more disturbing than anything she had heard since Exegol.

The descent stopped suddenly, nearly sending Rey to the Dragon's ankles if she hadn't been clutching his utility belt.

'Let go!' He shouted.

Rey thrust her eyes open, seeing that hey had nearly reached the bottom of the ladder, but it was still falling. She dropped the last five feet, landing on her bottom and head, her arms attacked at once by Finn who yanked her from the falling body of the Dragon who jumped off, landing just before the ladder's shadow. Rey attacked his arm, pulling him into her chest and scrambling backward in time so that the rickety old metal ladder collapsed in a cascade of dust and rock.

The Dragon panted beneath her, his hand reaching up and taking hers, squeezing it in gratitude. Rey panted into his neck, inhaling his strong smell of sweat and blood.

'Are you alright?' She breathed, her heart lessening its gallop against her breastbone.

He panted beneath her, his mask still firmly attached to his dark-haired head.

'We should go,' He announced. He stood, and held out his hand to Rey. 'The villagers will be coming soon.'

She looked at his hand, her heart stabbing painfully against her bone. She hissed through her teeth and scrambled to her feet, letting him drop his hand.

'Everyone alright?' She asked, turning from him.

Rose nodded, Finn's arms around her from behind. Poe looked like he was ready for a stiff drink and a bath, but he nodded and stood.

It was quick walking through a village with all the occupants rushing out of their way to see the felled ladder. The Dragon knew the village well as he avoided both taverns and the brothels, and even the prying eyes of an elderly woman too old to see the commotion for herself. They arrived at the ladder in a short time, realizing as soon as they saw it that this one had a crudely designed elevator that could conceivably avoid the disaster that they had just engaged in.

The Dragon opened a pouch on his hip and withdrew a small piece of clouded glass, one that made Rey turn and stare at it until the elevator operator shoved it into his pocket and opened the elevator basket.

'To the top,' The operator announced.

'Come on,' The Dragon told them, jerking his head into it.

Rose and Finn didn't need to be told twice. Poe on the other hand, hesitated at the sight of the payment rendered, but continued in. Rey on the other hand, stared straight at the Dragon's masked face. She couldn't explain it. She wanted to be angry at him, wanted to scream and wail at him for keeping himself hidden.

He inhaled deeply, his lensed eyes seeming to study her. 'Come on, Rey,' He breathed softly.

'Hurry up before more passengers come,' The operator told her, looking behind them. 'Looks like Imma make me rent today alone.'

Rey turned and saw the distinct uniform of three pirates bolt towards them, blasters in hand. Rey moved quickly, followed by the Dragon who closed the door. With a firm switch, they jolted upwards, leaving the little village alone, and the pirates to slow to a trot at the sight of the elevator shooting upwards.

SWSWSW

Finn knew he had met the Dragon before! He knew that voice that posture and that security! But, from where?! He watched Rey in the elevator, watched her fume progressively more as the Dragon seemed to avoid her. He leaned towards her, seemed to want to ask her how she was doing, but hesitated.

'You alright?' Finn asked for him.

'I'm fine,' She snarled, gripping the edge of the elevator basket.

He knew enough of women to know that 'I'm fine' meant he should stay as far away from her as possible.

The elevator lifted them up the side of the cliff and stopped at the plateau, revealing to them a ship in nearly pristine condition with more than a hint of the Millennium Falcon's aptitude for mischief. Rey was off the elevator first, striding towards the ship, her three buns suggesting that she was looking for any dangers.

'Nice ship,' Poe breathed. 'We could be off world and in hyperspace in no time.'

'Come on,' Finn breathed to Rose, arm around her shoulder. She had left this life a long time ago. She had gotten used to the comforts of her handmaids, the luxurious office. She wasn't supposed to be in danger anymore.

Rey's shoulders dropped and she whirled around, copper eyes on fire.

'Take off that mask!'

The trio turned, seeing Rey glaring at the Dragon, her teeth bared and her chest heaving, her eyes barely containing a fury that Finn had seen only once before.

She inhaled, then bellowed once more: 'Take off, that mask!'

Her voice brooked no argument, and Finn felt the need to take a step back with Rose. From the corner of his eye, Poe had received the same message. They moved, marking a clear avenue between Rey and the Dragon.

The Dragon heard her, he had to have, but he didn't turn away from the elevator. He stood with his back to her, hands frozen to the elevator door. Then, very slowly, he lifted his arms, and closed the door, sending the elevator back down. Then, he slid his thumbs beneath his chin. A small hiss could be heard over the wind, and the mask lifted, revealing a head of shaggy black hair, matted from sweat. He shook his head, setting some of his hair free.

Finn felt his stomach drop. He knew that movement! He knew that silhouette, too.

The Dragon turned slowly, his sweating white face sending a gasp through the trio. He had aged only slightly, and he had grown a beard that lined his chin and lips, but there was no mistaking him.

Kylo Ren.

'Oh, kriff!' Poe hissed, reaching for his blaster. Rose inhaled sharply and nearly jumped back if Finn hadn't been holding her. Finn merely turned to Rey, and watched her face turn from one of command, to sheer horror. She stepped forward, her shoulders heaving. Poe turned, seeing her take another step and another. A smirk bloomed on his features and he turned back to Kylo, moving towards Finn and Rose.

'Oh, this is going to be good!' He chuckled. 'Ten says we get a good one!'

'I'll take that bet,' Rose murmured, her voice still laden with shock. 'He was dead, right?'

Finn swallowed, watching Kylo take a step forward towards Rey. He had a nervous look on his features, definitely not a face Finn had ever seen before.

'Fifty,' Finn called over his shoulder.

Rey moved faster towards him, her back completely to the trio. Kylo followed suit, his long legs shortening the distance faster. Then, before they met chest to chest, Rey leapt into the air forcing Kylo to catch her in his arms, her hands grabbed his face, and she kissed him, like nobody's business.

'WHAT?!' Poe and Rose screamed.

Finn swallowed, feeling his heart ripple and crack to its core. Rey readjusted her mouth over his, her hands slipping into his scalp while his hands dug into her thigh and mid-back with such a desperate grip it almost looked as though he was trying to absorb her. Finn lifted his hand to Poe and Rose and snapped his fingers twice, gathering their attention. He held out an open palm, and waited, still watching the two exchange spit in front of them.

'Hang on!' Poe cried, looking from Finn to Kylo and Rey, to Finn again. 'Wh-what?'

Finn turned to him, hand still out. 'Don't you remember her telling us he gave her her first kiss?' His voice was hollow in his ears. 'Battle of Exegol. Then he died. She's never gone for anyone because she's been in love with him.' He jerked his head to Kylo.

Poe's jaw dropped, more in confusion than awe, and he whirled back to them. 'Imma get you back later. Wh-what?'

The two pulled apart, Rey's body convulsing as she caressed his face, her eyes studying him. She shifted and he let her down, his hands cupping her shoulder blades, his eyes glued to her face.

'Rey,' He breathed, licking his lips.

She set her jaw, and shot out a hand, slapping his jaw with a gentle smack! She slapped his other side, making him twitch with a gasp. Rey inhaled sharply, then balled her fists and hammered away at his chest, causing him to drop his hands and step back, jerking his shoulders back to avoid her hits.

'You!' She cried, tears streaming down her face. 'You… died! Why…?' Her mouth opened and closed, strangled noises pushing through. 'You killed yourself for me!' Her whole body convulsed, and she inhaled loudly. 'You left me!' She screamed, reaching out and smacking him across the chest. 'Why did you do that? Why, Ben?!'

He reached out and grabbed her forearms, forcing them to her sides, his chest heaving. 'I couldn't live without you,' He breathed, his deep voice laden with tears. 'I wouldn't! I felt you leave. I felt you die, and the last bit of light in me went, too!' He breathed heavily, shaking his head to get the hair out of his eyes. They glittered like river rocks. 'I couldn't live without the last person I loved. I set the galaxy on fire trying to feel an ounce of your light! I burned everything I touched, but you… You made things come alive! The Rebellion kept burning because of you! I kept going in the darkness because of you! Your light!' His shoulders dropped, and he released his grip on her. 'No one would miss me. The galaxy was better with you than it was with me.'

The sound of her hand across his face made everyone who heard it flinch. She stood, watching him nearly reach a hand out to the grass to steady himself. Instead, he lifted a paw to his face and cupped it before straightening to his full height.

'Mine wasn't!' She hissed.

Kylo turned to look at her, flexing his jaw slightly.

Rey leaned away from him, her face awash with tears so hot Finn wondered how they didn't steam coming out of her eyes. 'I'm glad you think something good came of my broken heart,' She continued. 'Because all I felt was fire!' She had to take a moment before she spat, 'I burned alone!'

Finn looked down to the grass, his heart thoroughly breaking.

Kylo said nothing. He stared, his face melting as he realized what they had just said to each other. He dropped his hand, and looked to the ground before pleading, 'I didn't leave you, Rey!'

'Yes, you did!' She screamed, her voice echoing over the cliffs. 'You left me!'

Kylo's hands shot out and grabbed her upper arms, causing Finn to flinch forward. 'No,' Kylo insisted, tears leaking, 'I didn't!'

'Yes, you did!' She protested, wriggling in his hands though not trying hard enough to be set free, 'We were supposed to be a dyad! Inseparable! A bonded pair! And you…!' She trailed off, her words choked by emotion. 'You left me! You left…!'

'I saw you on Exegol!' Kylo shouted, shaking her. 'For three years I saw you! You came on the anniversary of my death. You could have been celebrating Republic Restoration Day, but you never did! You came to try to find me! I saw you go through the Dark Labs, I saw you kill any clone pods you found there!'

Rey's tears seemed to have stopped halfway down her face. She hung in Kylo's arms like a puppet on tangled strings, her full attention on him.

He cried, too, but the sound of his voice didn't show it. 'I saw you when you took your first student, too. The Mandalorian boy. I even felt the bed you laid in when I came back,' He cupped her cheek, closing the distance but not kissing her. 'Didn't you wonder who kissed you in the mornings? Did you even feel them, Rey?'

She inhaled, her breath shaking. 'I thought I dreamed them,' She murmured so softly Finn had to strain to hear. 'I had to have dreamt them.'

Kylo gave a small smile and shook his head, tears streaming down his face. 'That was me, Rey. I kissed you every chance I could. I told you every chance I could that you weren't alone. That I was always going to be there for you.'

Poe shifted his weight next to Finn. 'And what the hell are we?'

Finn swallowed, feeling a lump in his throat. 'Not him,' He grumbled.

Rey lifted her hands and slid them over his shoulders, pulling him into her with such a fierce passion Finn almost wanted to give them a minute. Kylo rested his head against Rey's, his arms squeezing her back so tightly her feet dangled above the dry grass. It was as if they were both afraid that letting go would send him back to wherever he had gone to when he had died, that this was their only moment to be together again. Rey turned her face to him, her hand cupping the back of his head, ruffling his sweaty hair, and she appeared to have whispered something in his ear. He released her only to turn and kiss her again, this time softer, with more longing with each push and pull of their lips.

'I hate to be the buzzkill,' Rose murmured, 'But, we're on the run.'

The timing couldn't have been more perfect!

The elevator rattled to a stop at the plateau's edge, two pirates grunting their frustrations in several unkind native words as they opened the door. Rey readjusted her body against Kylo's, allowing his muscular arm to grab a sword from his back and hurtle it in an impossible throw, lancing both men through their heart cavities.

'Okay,' Finn mumbled, 'I'm going to say it-'

'Don't,' Poe commanded, hanging his head.

'That was awesome.'

'They're still making out,' Rose pointed out.

Poe cleared his throat loudly, watching Kylo reattach his hand to Rey's hip. 'Uh! 'Scuse me!' He called. 'Yoo, hoo! Hate to break up a… pretty gross moment! But… I don't think those guys are the last we need to worry about!'

They pulled their lips apart, but their eyelashes were still tangled in a smouldering flutter. Their foreheads pressed together, both sets of hands intertwining and rising to rest on either person's chest. It was truly one of the tenderest moments Finn had ever witnessed!

'Could you at least throw us a blaster?!' Poe panicked, hearing what sounded like a clamour of pirates hacking into the cliffside with crude climbing tools, their anger growing with each foot climbed. 'I lost mine and I kinda don't want to be stuck up here without one!'

Kylo smiled, his eyes alighting to a degree that Finn had never seen. He was warm, soft even, but only for Rey. She took a step back, dropping only one set of hands. Kylo strode to her side, the both of them looking giddily at the other, their hands clasped in an unshakeable bond.

That was, until Kylo stopped dead in his tracks, his smile fading as one of the pirate ships landed behind his, nestling tenderly on the ground. Rey detached her lightsabres, but Kylo urged her to put them away, his tone of voice not one that Finn was used to hearing. He almost seemed… afraid.

A gangplank emerged, and from it came a single, thin man of about sixty years old. He had russet skin and a broad forehead, and a stern look that could have rivalled Kylo's. He wore a similar tactical uniform, but his seemed… almost too pretty. Almost too new.

'Dragon,' He called, his voice dry.

'King.' Kylo stated.

Finn looked at Kylo, taking in just how much his stature had changed. His shoulders were hunched, his look narrow, and he almost seemed to stand in front of Rey in a protective posture.

'Komo're, sigarte,' King grunted, stepping forward, dark eyes sweeping Finn's frame as well as Rose's.

'Thorac'qaan, dohore.' Kylo replied, knees bending to attack position.

King, whoever he was, didn't pay him any mind. He didn't have to with the ship's guns turning towards Kylo and Rey, as well as sixteen armed pirates exiting their ship, blaster rifles all pointing to fire at them.

'Dah'miriq'chiquan,' King nodded, stopping right in front of Rose.

'What does he want?' Finn demanded, moving to stand in front of her.

'Iti'gani morok'thoo,' Kylo told him, ignoring Finn. 'Jyian'ee.' He lifted a hand and slowly moved it towards his pouch. From it, he pulled a brown bag filled with something that glittered in the grey sky.

King looked at the bag, then at Rey, taking his time to appraise her.

She shifted her weight and set her jaw. 'See something you like?' She demanded.

'Oh yes,' King answered, smirking at her. 'Bariti'gan.'

'What?' Rey asked, raising her eyebrow.

'Dohamus,' Kylo snarled, and tossed him the bag. 'Cha'aqaan.'

King caught it, feeling the weight with a dip of his hand, and fondling its contents with a few pulses of his palm. King smirked, and nodded. 'Domi, watu'k ni ay.' He lifted the bag, 'Doh'ai noc. Chaya'atu naan.'

Kylo closed his eyes and exhaled, lowering his chin almost completely. 'Toma, har'aas arik?'

'Niqaan'ita!' King shouted. 'Soo've.'

With that, King turned his heel and walked away, attaching the bag to his belt and jerking his head to the armed men. At once, they lowered their weapons and followed him back into the ship.

Rey was the first to speak, 'What was that?'

Kylo lifted a gloved hand and wiped his face with it. 'A complication.'

'How much are we worth?'

Finn turned back to Rose, watching her sneer at Kylo.

'I know slave negotiation when I see it,' She told him. 'How much are we worth?'

Kylo leaned back, and lifted his eyebrow. 'You?' He looked her up and down, from her frizzed hair to her mangled underdress. He exhaled, and lowered his shoulders a fraction. 'You, cost me my ship.' He looked up at the small ship that was supposed to be their escape.

At once, the breath left Finn's body. No! This wasn't right! It wasn't supposed to happen like this!

'What do you mean?' Poe demanded, stepping forward.

'I killed my crew,' Kylo explained, walking forward with Rey in hand. 'I got caught. I could either give up my cargo, or give up something else of value.'

'How much did Rey cost?' Poe snarled, moving to stand in front of them. 'How much did me and Finn?'

'King's not interested in men,' Kylo smirked. 'Sorry.'

'Then Rey?'

The smile faded, and he turned to her, fingers rubbing over her hand. 'All I had.'

She lifted a fraction, her eyes taking in his every meaning. Slowly, she caressed his arm, and nodded. Something, Finn couldn't say what because he didn't hear it, passed between them. A conversation, or a loving word, it didn't matter. Kylo lifted himself a bit higher, and he smirked at her, a smirk that belonged only to her that made his eyes glitter.

'Come on,' He announced, pulling her with him. 'We can hitch a ride.'

'To where?' Rose asked, following him regardless.

'Courkrus,' Kylo told them. 'Home.'

_Please review!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Today's motto: Must. Finish. Chapter!_

_I'm tired. Goodnight!_

Chapter 8

Ben's ship was towed by the man called King and his crew to what Rey understood to be the pirate system of Courkrus. In the time it took for them to be towed, Ben tore through each of the individual cabins, common area, and the pilot's seats, collecting small fragments of Kyber crystals.

'Can we get away from here?' Poe asked, flinching towards the pilot's seat.

Ben whirled on him, eyes hard. 'Don't, touch, the bridge. They see this ship so much as hit an asteroid away from the current path and they'll blow us to hell.'

'So, we do nothing?' Finn demanded, looking from Rey to Ben.

'For right now, yes,' Ben told him, flipping over a cushion on a common area couch. 'Unless you want to help me find these.' He shoved his hand into his pocket and showed him a handful of broken Kyber crystals.

'What makes you think I would ever want to help you,' Finn asked, his tone lowering.

'Because these are currency and the only way to get you to a place where you won't be kidnapped for walking down the street,' Ben answered, hardly blinking an eye.

Silence ripped through the room, each person looking at the other.

'How many do we need?' Rey asked, lifting her fingers to feel for them.

'As many as possible,' Ben told her, continuing to feel the furniture. 'They'll be hidden, so don't feel the need to be polite.'

They scoured the ship, Rey finding a handful roughly sewn into a pillow courtesy of the Force. Rose, on the other hand, found a small bag in the lining of someone's jacket. She moved to stuff it into her dress, but Ben grabbed her hand and took it from her.

'You don't know how to use it,' He told her, releasing her. 'They'd take advantage of you.'

'Don't touch me,' Rose hissed.

'How long have you been on this system?' Rey asked, setting down a pillow and handing him her findings.

'Two years, nine months, forty-seven days,' He answered, taking her crystals. 'It was an education, to say the least.'

'What's the deal with these Kyber crystals?' Finn asked.

'King made them the currency a long time ago,' Ben answered, turning to him. 'You can use Republic credits, but they won't work. They'll just get stolen. You can bargain, but not down there where we're going. Down there's hell in a nutshell, not even the crew will go alone. Need the Kyber to transport away from there.'

'Why is he taking us there?' Poe asked, looking up from beneath the command board.

'Only port into the system,' He told them, moving to an area marked for going below decks. 'He's got a Navy to rival the Republic.'

The moment he went below decks, Finn, Poe, and Rose rounded on Rey.

'Are you sure we can trust him?' Poe demanded, lowering his voice so that only they can hear.

'What else are we going to do?' Rey asked. 'Assuming, of course, you can beat him in a fight and walk across space back to Naboo?'

'We have no idea what he told King,' Finn pointed out. 'What if he made some kind of deal?'

'He did, for mine and Rose's lives.'

'According to him!' Rose scoffed.

'What is this?' Rey demanded, looking the three of them in the eye. 'You have a better plan?'

'Have you also considered,' Ben called, coming up from below decks, 'If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it back on your ship?'

The three hesitated, but Rey watched him. He had unzipped his jacket, revealing a shirt that looked so much like the one Rey had kept from Exegol that she gasped, and took a step back. Ben looked at her, eyes searching her face.

'I'm – I'm fine,' She told him, shaking her head.

'Are you?' He asked, moving towards her.

She forced a nod, but didn't look at him. 'Just, tell us what's going to happen when we land.'

Ben watched her, waiting for her to lift her chin to him. He knew her, he could feel her feelings without a second thought, and he could respond accordingly. Rey nodded to him, sincerity flowing over her.

'Tell us.'

SWSWSW

The ship landed in the quay, the sight of people of all ages, genders, and alien races rushing in a desperate bolt to a fence separating them from the ships in the quay. An audible gasp issued from each of the crew save for Ben.

'What are they doing?' Rose asked, eyes wide.

'Trying to leave,' Ben told them. 'They were brought here for numerous reasons. Slavery, indentured servitude, kidnap, labour, you name it. But those down there don't have enough Kyber to leave.' He jerked his chin to the window, 'Every now and then a new ship will come by and develop a broken heart, take someone with them. That's rare though. So, hear me when I say,' They all turned to him, waiting for him to speak, 'Don't stop moving. Don't listen to anyone there. And keep her in your sight,' He gestured to Rose. 'She's a choice fetish around here.'

'How do you know that?' Rose snarled.

Ben had begun to turn away, but he stopped. He looked back at Rose and answered, 'Because you can hear their screams at night. Not the good kind, either.'

Rey had to stand, had to come close to ask this question.

'Hold on,' Ben called, reaching out and taking her waist at the same time he reached up to grab a stationary bar. The ship shuddered, the steering toggles shifting with the movement of someone else directing them to land.

The feel of his muscles around her body, the smell of his musk and warmth. Rey couldn't help but close her eyes and lean into him, the fabric of his clothes soft against her cheek. Her heart beat faster, and she could feel his lips brush her forehead.

'This place,' She whispered. 'It's, your home?'

'No,' He murmured. 'My home is somewhere else on the planet. Safer.'

'How did you get there, Ben?' Her eyes fluttered open, bronze meeting obsidian. 'How did you know your way?'

The ship shuddered again underfoot, the clanking of a landing crew reaching their ears. In her arms, Ben shivered. 'I got lost. I came back, and I knew I had to, be different. I guess I lost track of time.'

Rey lifted her chin, her nose nuzzling his. What she would have given to have had a moment alone with him! Just one moment, just like this, without anyone to bother them.

Unfortunately, they didn't have that luxury.

The doors opened, and King's crew appeared, taking a look around at the strewn and torn pillows, taking stock of Ben and Rey intertwined as they were.

'She that good, Drago?' One asked, kicking aside some stuffing to smile at him better.

'Better yet, how'd you get it done so quickly?' Another asked.

'Bada qi'naan,' Ben growled, releasing Rey's waist and taking her hand. They turned back to Poe, seeing him and Finn take each of Rose's hands. 'Remember,' He warned, 'Don't stop.'

The moment he stepped off the ship, Rey's ears nearly started bleeding. A roar, unlike anything she had ever heard screamed at her from beyond the barricade, the sound amplified by the clamour of hands banging against said barricade. Ben pulled Rey along, moving towards a cluster of men who had rifles poised, waiting for them to near. One male with red skin and horns sticking out of his head signed to Ben something that he returned with his free hand.

Rey gasped, looking at the crowds, seeing them wave handfuls of blue disks, glimmering golds, and fistfuls of metal chips stamped with the Seal of the Republic. The moment she felt her trio brush up behind her, Rey clamped a hand down on her lightsabre.

The Doormen nodded to one another, then hauled the doors open, two of the rifles clattering an electric shock that made the hairs on Rey's neck stand bolt upright. Ben waited, his head twitching to watch the crowds part just enough to let them through. Rey tried to not dig her nails into his hand, but it was difficult. She had never felt this much desperation! This much fear and she had certainly never been around this many people pushing and jostling against her arms and hips. Thankfully the crowds mostly ignored them, knowing that they had nothing to do with the comings and goings of the ships themselves. That didn't mean that those too small to see the front of the barricade or too far back didn't accost them, begging for the opportunity to leave the system.

Ben ignored them, pushing aside their begging hands while continuing to guide Rey through the throng. Rey held her breath when she saw the crowds thin, remembering Ben's warning. The thickness of the crowd was not the problem (though he did warn of pickpockets), it was the thinner part, the one closer to the transports. There, they saw apartment buildings teeming with life. Only the more Rey looked at them, the more she realized just how far they were from the clean, organized garden system of Naboo. These apartments were draped in rags and smelled strongly of sweat, raw sewage, and cooking foods. Rey wanted to cover her nose, but she held firmly to her lightsabre.

They had just cleared the crowd when a teenage girl, hair pulled into a tight ponytail rushed from out of nowhere and bussed Ben's side. He whirled around, releasing Rey's hand, and grabbed the girl's ponytail, making her scream almost as loudly as the entire crowd as she clutched her scalp.

'Give it!' He thundered, not releasing his grip.

The girl shot out a hand, handing him back the bag of Kyber crystals from the ship. He grabbed it with one hand and released the other, his head suddenly whirling around. Rey saw it the same time her hand ignited only one side of her lightsabre.

The two men with eyes locked onto Rose halted in front of the gold beam, eyes tearing from their prey to the lightsabre, chests halting mid-breath.

'Leave,' Rey commanded, her voice clear over the din.

'Let's go!' Ben shouted, grabbing Poe's shoulder and pulling him forward. 'Sweetheart, let's go!'

Rey deactivated her lightsabre and hooked it to her belt, keeping her hand on it as she gave the men her back. Her heart pounded as she took Ben's hand, trotting to keep up with his stride. He moved through the avenue of apartments, eyes trained on the walking road rather than the brothels, butcheries, taverns, and what looked very much like public arenas for fighting and slave markets.

'Almost there,' Ben called over his shoulder.

'How much further?' Finn asked.

Rey glanced over her shoulder, seeing Finn with his blaster in his jacket, Rose with a shocked wonder as they moved, and Poe glancing from left to right to over the right shoulder.

'Just around the corner,' Ben told them.

Rey gasped, feeling the peace waft over them as they neared the end of the apartment block.

'What are these places?' Rey asked.

'Don't know!' Ben told her. 'I think they're brothels.'

'That big?'

'That big of a commodity down here.'

They turned the corner, and both audibly sighed. Before them, sitting right in the middle of the road, was a terminal for a long, silver transport. This part of the lower system was inexplicably calm, with creatures of all races waiting patiently with shopping bags stuffed with groceries. At once, Ben strode towards the line and stood first, turning to look over Rose, then Finn, then Poe.

'You guys alright?' Rey asked.

Poe nodded, 'We're good.'

Finn gave a breathy, 'Yeah.'

Rose said nothing, merely nodded.

'Rose, how are you doing?' Rey asked, lowering her voice.

'I've been kidnapped by your boyfriend, taken to a pirate planet, almost kidnapped, and moshed by a million people,' She breathed. 'So long as I'm in the upright position, I'm fine.'

Rey heard Ben give a small snort, before telling them, 'We'll be at the Cove by sundown.'

'What's the Cove?' The four asked.

'Idyllic village on the coast furthest away from here,' He grunted, moving along with the line. 'They have dorms for men and women, the first three nights are free. Although,' He looked down at Rey and at once his eyes glittered, 'I have room for one if she's willing.'

'Of course,' Poe commented, 'Why have two dudes stay with you when you can have Rey?'

Ben's eyes flicked to him. 'She's prettier, and you hate me. I'd kill you before sunrise.'

Rey turned around. 'He's not wrong.'

They moved up in the line before Poe could retort, Ben turning his back to them so that he could ready the payment bag.

Rey looked up, feeling a coolness slither down his arm at the sight of the driver. She looked down at the bag, then at the passengers giving up their fragments of Kyber. The pieces were bigger and clearer. They were too small to use in a lightsabre or even power a blaster, but they were still bigger than what she had found on the ship. He was worried they wouldn't be good enough.

The person in front of them moved onto the transport, leaving Ben next.

'Oi Artisan!' The Driver grinned. 'Good mission?'

'I'd say so,' He said, moving his arm around Rey's shoulder.

'Ah!' The Driver smiled, looking her over quickly. 'It's about time, Artie! So, just the two of you?'

'Five actually,' He told him, moving aside to gesture to the three behind him. 'She brought the family along.'

'Family?' The Driver asked, smile freezing on his face as he took in the skin tones of each of the additional passengers. 'Family gets to be expensive.'

Ben held out the bag, 'Good thing we're friends.'

The driver took the bag and poured out the contents into a gloved hand. He hesitated, then looked at Ben. 'Good thing,' He told him. He jerked his head, letting them in.

Ben was in the transport and holding his hand out to Rey before she could see it. She took his hand, electricity zooming through their fingers. She gasped, her soul at once on fire. He had the same look, his breathing matching hers. He felt the same.

She took a step and pushed him into the transport, guiding him back to decent seats. They didn't sit, they could only stand, and move their arms to hold each other, though one set of hands stayed clasped between them. He let out a breath, his eyes sealed shut. She let hers close and let herself breathe as well.

It was something she had felt only once before. A completeness, a missing half fitting perfectly in space, an absolute fulfilment that had been absent for far too long.

'We are one,' Escaped from her lips.

'We are one,' Escaped from his.

SWSWSW

The Cove

By the time the transport arrived at what looked like a line of hovel huts, the sun was touching the ocean, and they were the last on the transport. Ben had moved them to sit across from Rey's trio, his body slouched to let his long legs stretch, while she rested her head on his shoulder, their hands still clasped. No one had spoken much on the way. Poe had talked softly to Rose, but Finn was mostly silent until:

'So how are you here?'

Rey lifted her head to look over the seat edge at Finn. He had released Rose's hand and moved to rest his elbows on his knees. He stared straight at Ben, his eyes hard.

'I took the TIE I left on Exegol and flew around,' Ben answered. 'Eventually ended up at the Hive without a ship. Was told the best shot-callers were in the Cove. I made a good impression and ended up setting up a small forge and a shop.'

'The place with all those people was the Hive?' Rey asked.

Ben nodded to her, but Finn cut him off from speaking.

'That's not what I meant,' He pressed. 'How are you alive? Rey said you died on Exegol. That your body disappeared like Leia's. How are you here and she isn't?'

'My mother had no reason to come back,' Ben replied. He swallowed, and looked at Rey before answering. 'I… don't remember very much from the World Between Worlds. I wrote down what I can remember, but it's nothing to what I saw when I was there. Nothing in this realm compares to that level of knowledge and understanding. It's often frustrating. I just know that I came back with a mission of reuniting with Rey, and being a better man with her than I was as…' He trailed off, his onyx eyes hardening for a moment. 'As him,' He finished, voice barely above a whisper.

'So you're not going to tell us?' Finn demanded. 'You just appeared, is that it?'

'Would you believe me if I said I descended a golden staircase dressed in white?' Ben asked, looking back at Finn.

'No,' The trio answered immediately.

'So why waste my breath on how I got here?'

'What did happen?' Rey cooed, rubbing his chest with her thumb. 'How did you come back?'

He looked down at her, his face soft. She could get lost in those onyx cisterns for days!

'I'll have to show you the book,' He told her, his voice low enough for her to hear. 'I've forgotten so much. I just, remember sitting up and I felt you gasp at the same time. I-I knew then that, I couldn't see you. I couldn't be near you. So, I cut myself off from the Force right away. I knew how to do that, so I did it as soon as possible.'

'Why?' Rey breathed, shifting in her seat to look at him better.

'Because…' He began, smoothing her hand with his fingers. Suddenly, he looked up and the transport began to slow to a halt. 'We're here.'

'The Cove!' The Driver hollered. 'Final stop!'

Ben stood, bringing Rey with him. 'This is where I call home.'

The smell of the salt ocean hit them the moment the doors opened. They stepped off the transport and the salt mixed with charcoal and mud. The first thing Rey did was scan the straw and mud hovels for what she remembered from her visions. These hovels were big enough for perhaps two people, comfortably, and the people who moved about them were undoubtedly scavengers, peddling parts from spacecraft, half-decent straw baskets, and even seashells of all sizes and colours.

'These are the Needlers,' Ben told her, moving past them without a second glance. 'There's a very strict hierarchy around here. They're at the very bottom of it,' He gestured to an old woman weaving a basket. 'New arrivals.'

'Were you a Needler?' Rey asked.

Ben smirked, the one he only showed her. 'No. I was a Prolet from the start. Prolets are your pirates, your artisans, your tradesmen. You'll see us here in a bit.'

As they walked passed the hovels, Rey couldn't help but notice them put away their wares, realizing that the last transport was not bringing anyone willing (or able) to buy from them. At the end of the hovels, the shacks became bigger, with more people bearing krill baskets, and spears for shallow fishing. They were still considered Needlers, but they had more of a means to take care of themselves. Ben took a sharp right, and a vast ocean opened up, lined with merchant shops. Ben turned left and headed towards a building where young women and teenage girls came in and out, the wafting smells of artificial perfume and cookery emitting from the windows.

'That's the women's dorm,' He called over his shoulder, 'Men's is closer to the ocean. Tell them the Artisan sent you and they'll give you a bed.'

'"Artisan?"' Finn and Poe asked, their eyebrows rising.

Ben faced forward and exhaled. Rey looked up at him and asked, 'What's down there?'

He turned to Rey and pointed down the avenue of merchants, 'Prolets are down there. Their houses are off to the left. They're bigger and have running water and some plumbing. Glitterati are along the coast. They don't have to work, they sponsor pirate voyages and get a piece of the bounty. Or they own stuff down in the Hive.'

'So, do you paint?' Poe taunted. 'Do you use little brushes to paint little trees?'

'No, no, you needlepoint,' Finn guffawed. 'Sew pillows with jewels.'

'I make swords,' Ben muttered under his breath.

Rey knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but before he could say anymore, a cluster of girls burst from the Girl's Dorm and ran up to him, all grinning and all wearing less clothing than Rey.

'Artisan!' They cried, 'You're home!'

'Ladies,' Ben grunted, a crooked smile fixing on his face. He adjusted his grip on Rey's hand, and shot her a sideways glance.

'Was your journey successful?'

'Lost my crew,' He told them. At once, the girls gasped and clamped their hands over their mouths. 'I'll have to try again later, I guess.'

'And who is this?' One girl, a teenager with blue eyes and light brown hair, asked looking Rey up and down.

At once, the girls whirled on Rey, taking in her three buns to her bloodied white shirt, white trousers, lightsabre, and most importantly, her hand glued to Ben's.

Ben looked down at Rey, his face switching from confident to sheer befuddlement. Rey smiled, and turned to the girls.

'I'm his girlfriend. We've been separated for some time and, my family and I were finally able to make it out here.'

The girls looked ready to melt before her! They looked her up and down, their faces falling to horrified as they moved from her, to him, back to her.

'Ladies,' Ben nodded, lifting an arm to pass between them. Before moving completely away, he looked up to the dorm, seeing an older woman writing in a book with paper pages. 'Lady Australis, do you have room for two?'

'Always, Artisan,' Lady Australis replied, not looking up.

'Thank you,' Ben called. He turned back to Rey, 'In case you don't like my snoring.'

Rey couldn't help but giggle.

'Rey!' Finn called.

Rey turned, seeing Rose stopped and looking up at the dorm. She looked at the woman writing, and the girls coming in and out. She turned back to Rey, her eyes finding Ben's frame.

Rey released Ben's hand and moved towards her. 'Hey,' She breathed. 'It's going to be okay.'

'You said that already,' Rose told her.

'And hasn't it been true up until now?'

Rose looked at her, her body shivering as she inhaled. 'I want to go home,' She whispered.

'I will get you there,' Rey told her. 'I swear, on my life, you will return to Naboo.'

'How?' Rose pressed, tears rimming her eyes.

Rey swallowed. 'We'll have to come up with a plan. Do that tomorrow, alright?'

Rose turned back to the dorm, realizing what she would have to do tonight.

'Want me to go with you?' Rey offered.

'Private room for two!' Lady Australis called, making Rose jump. They looked up, seeing Ben step away from her writing table. 'Come on, sea view!'

'Ready?' Rey asked, turning back to Rose.

Rose swallowed. 'You go with your boyfriend,' She commanded. 'One of us should know our way around this place, so it might as well be you.'

'Rose,' Rey sighed, but she had already started up the stairs, ready to follow Lady Australis.

Rey shook her head and moved back to Ben, halting when she saw him turn his full attention towards Finn and Poe.

'I assume you're not going to leave until you see my shop?' Ben asked, shaking his head to get his hair out of his face.

'Just want to see the pretty pictures,' Poe grinned, Finn following suit.

Ben rolled his eyes and held out his hand for Rey to take. She took it gladly, genuinely curious to see what kind of artisan he was. He had a forge, and was a swordsmith, so something to do with metal? Perhaps a blacksmith? There was a blacksmith down the Merchants' Avenue, could he be another one?

There was a shop at the end of the avenue, one with an outdoor forge just like in her visions. Ben looked down and smirked at her, feeling her giddiness as she took it in. As soon as they neared the doors, he reached into his pouch and withdrew a set of flat keys. Rey didn't know what for, if he had anything valuable, they could have broken down one of the flat wooden walls.

'Welcome home,' He told her, pushing the door open.

He walked in, his shoulders dropping slightly with the relief of crossing one's own threshold, observing their belongings. Rey stepped in, smiling as she looked around. He was a jeweller! All around the walls were shelves supporting rustic metallic and leather jewellery surrounding a work table fitted with slots for various sets of pliers and cutters, with boxes of materials stored underneath. Towards the back of the room, a reed curtain separated the front from tall wood chests that must have served as Ben's living quarters.

Rey moved to one of the shelves, admiring the necklaces. His designs were so simple! Some of them were cogs from the interior of a spacecraft melted to sit atop each other into a flattened square, hammered out half-moons attached with string, hollowed out driftwood secured by misshapen pearls on either end on a leather band, intricately twisted metal of different materials. So many designs! Such simple elegance that Rey couldn't believe it.

'Jewellery?' She asked, smiling.

'Jewellery?' Poe scoffed.

'Jewellery,' Finn sniggered. 'That's your art?'

Ben turned, staring them down. He stepped forward, his boots somehow loud against the dirt floor and his figure seemed to grow as he stalked forward.

'Yes,' He growled. 'To live here and not down in the Hive, I had to contribute to their way of life.'

At once, the men's smiles faded. Poe's hand twitched for his invisible blaster, and Finn almost drew his.

'Why jewellery, though?' Rey asked, her smile still on her face.

Ben turned to her for a second, his face softening. He looked away towards a shelf full of rings.

'You can't build something as fragile as a family if you're angry all the time. Jewellery takes… patience. A soft and firm hand. Creativity to work with what you've got.'

He would have said more, but he looked over Finn's shoulder in time for a burly man wearing a heavy cloth apron and work gloves appeared in the doorway.

'Artisan, you're home?'

'Just arrived, Blacksmith,' Ben answered moving around the work table.

The Blacksmith's eyes were quick, taking in his armour and his weaponry. From where Rey stood, he was almost certainly a pirate, too.

'Good!' The Blacksmith cheered, 'I need your help, man!'

'How mad is she?' Ben asked, leaning against the work table.

'It's bad!' The Blacksmith cried.

Ben snorted, 'What'd you do?'

'I married her daughter!'

Ben shook his head, 'Unforgiveable! And on her anniversary too, no doubt?'

The Blacksmith shrugged and exhaled. 'Aye, the other days were inconvenient and she's due tomorrow!'

Ben shook his head, the faintest smile on his lips. 'What are we going to do with you?'

'That's why I came to the best!'

'Take this one,' He moved from the table to where Rey stood, taking a large necklace with two hammered half-moons layered one on top on top of the other, a compass rose dangling beneath them, the piece secured by a metal chain.

The Blacksmith looked at Rey, bright blue eyes appraising her quickly. He gave her a curt nod before turning back to Ben.

'You think it'll work?'

'No,' Ben told him. 'But it'll give you the confidence to smile in her face.'

The Blacksmith twitched his eyebrow and took the necklace. 'Thank ye,' He grunted, looking it over with penetrating eyes.

'Do you need apprentices?'

The Blacksmith looked up, eyebrows raised. 'I have a bed available. Why?'

Ben jerked his chin at Finn and Poe, the two men watching them scramble from almost dropping one of Ben's shelves.

The Blacksmith looked at Ben, narrowing his look. Ben made a motion, a shrug of the shoulders, half nod, and glance back to Rey. The Blacksmith looked back at Rey once again, appraising her once again.

The Blacksmith turned from her, his entire demeanour shifting as he kicked a foot forward, appraising first Poe, then Finn.

'Soldier,' He grunted, looking Poe up and down. 'What were you during the war?'

'Resistance Pilot,' Poe answered.

At once, the Blacksmith straightened, his jaw setting. 'I've no time for the likes of any Resistance scum,' He spat. He turned to Finn as Poe looked back at Rey, mouthing askance. 'You,' the Blacksmith commanded, 'What were you during the war?'

Rey looked at Ben the moment he shook his head slightly at Finn.

Finn turned back to the Blacksmith and lifted his chin, 'Special Intelligence, First Order.'

'Did you ever report to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren?'

A current shot through the shop. Finn swallowed, then nodded. 'Yes, I did. One of the few to see his real face.'

The Blacksmith smirked, 'You were lucky, then. I only ever saw his cloak. Meanest bastard I ever knew. Made it my life's mission to never see the front of his mask. That'd give you nightmares beyond the ordinary.'

'Ain't that the truth,' Finn murmured. 'Couldn't sleep for days after every personal report. It was the voice that did it. Not the lightsabre.'

The Blacksmith gave a small snort. 'Good with your hands, spy?'

'Yes, sir. Been a while, but they never forget.'

'Aye. Come with me, you'll stay with me and my wife, learn the craft, and earn some Kyber.'

'Appreciate it,' Finn told him, looking back at Rey. He hesitated following the Blacksmith, but she nodded, willing him to go on.

'What the hell was that?' Poe asked the moment Finn walked away.

'You need to earn Kyber,' Ben told him, moving to set right the shelf he had dislodged. 'That's the only way to get off the system.'

'We're stuck here?' Poe demanded, whirling on Ben. 'You knew this whole time and you let us get further and further into this system?'

Ben whirled on him, his height causing him to tower over Poe, his onyx eyes so hard they almost seared him. Poe staggered back, grabbing for his invisible blaster.

'I saved your damn life!' Ben growled. 'I could have killed you, I could have let them sell you, I could have even taken your bounty as a Republic general for myself and gotten Rey and I a first-class ticket on the next ship to the Core, but I didn't! I brought you to the only place on this system where you can earn a decent way out!' They were near the door, Ben's anger only growing. 'Don't like it? GET OUT!'

His hands shot out and shoved Poe out his door, causing him to land on his bottom, head bouncing on the dirt.

'Ben!' Rey cried, rushing forward.

He did nothing, he merely pinched his eyes shut, and clenched his fists, breathing slow, heavy breaths. Poe jumped to his feet, but one look from Rey silenced him.

'Where can he go?' Rey asked, worming her way into Ben's fist. 'Where can he earn his Kyber?'

'The docks,' Ben told her through clenched teeth. 'Fishermen.'

Rey nodded, then left his side. 'Poe,' She cooed, 'Poe, we're in new territory, here. We must trust him.'

'We had an opportunity-'

'To get killed,' She interrupted. 'You know that. Rose was the objective and she wouldn't have made it.'

'Do you know where she is, right now?' Poe demanded.

'She's in the bath,' Rey told him, setting her jaw. 'She has a private bath and she's using it now. She's frightened, but she knows that in that bath she's safe. Finn's looking at the Blacksmith's tools, realizing that he could make his own weapons if given time-'

'And you?' Poe demanded. 'What are you seeing when you look at him?'

Rey hesitated. Ben's anger subsided immediately, a tension in her forehead lifting. She inhaled, and told him, 'I see a man who was taken from me before we got to know each other. I see a second chance to know him. He was there before, and he's here now. I want this time to get to know him, Poe. I want to be here, with him.'

'And what about us?' Poe asked, leaning back. 'You promised Rose you'd get her back to Naboo. If he won't leave the pirate's life, are you going to make that happen?'

'I doubt you'll have enough Kyber to leave tomorrow, Poe,' Rey told him. 'So just do what you have to to earn your wage.'

'And what will you do?' Poe asked, crossing his arms. 'Besides, of course, getting cozy with your new boyfriend?'

Rey inhaled, feeling the fire churn within her stomach. 'At least I'm safe with him on a pirate colony than with you on Naboo.'

She turned her heel and walked into Ben's shop, letting the cool serenity of the four simple walls wash over her.

_Please review!_


	9. Chapter 9

_So, I couldn't sleep. Have an update!_

_And please review!_

Chapter 9

Rey wasn't hungry, although Ben offered to get food. What she was, was exhausted! From fighting, and the tense ride from the pirate ship to Ben's shack, she hadn't released her stress. Ben told her quickly how he ended up here, how he crashed his TIE fighter trying to avoid pirates among the Courkrus moons, and when the crew came looking for the pilot he made them believe he was a pirate himself looking to find a job after his crew was killed. From there, it was a series of claiming what he wanted and giving back to those who let him do it.

He looked up from peeling off his layers of armour and tactical clothing, and closed the cabinet.

'Tired?'

Rey nodded, her eyelids heavy. 'Where do you sleep?'

He smirked, the one he only reserved for her, and moved to one side of the living quarters. Hanging on a wall was a canvas cloth that he dropped to the floor, revealing what looked like a hanging net. He unhooked it, and stretched the netting across the floor to the opposite wall, revealing to Rey a hammock big enough for him. In the middle of the unravelled netting was another thick roll of soft leather that when Ben stretched it out, revealed a bed mat of what looked like sewn rabbit fur, a pillow, and a wool blanket.

'Room for one,' He grinned, his eyes glittering in the growing darkness.

Rey straightened. 'Erm, where are you…?'

He shook his head. 'I, um, I don't sleep much. It's my lingering habit. I either sleep or I don't and I'm too excited that you're here.' He gestured to the hammock, then looked up and went out a second exit to the forge and returned with a brown leather package in hand. He unwrapped it, revealing a clean white shirt and long brown trousers.

'You can wear this,' He told her, handing her the shirt. 'It'll be big, but, until that blood washes out.'

Rey stood and took it, looking up at him. 'Y'know, we've never been formally introduced.'

Ben looked at her, lips parting. He scoffed, his smile lingering for a moment. 'No, no we haven't.'

Rey extended her hand, her mind immediately flooding with memories of a stone hut during a rainstorm. He watched her, his broad shoulders dropping.

'Rey Skywalker,' She told him, 'Master Jedi.'

Ben lifted his hand, and nestled it into hers.

'Ben Solo,' He breathed, 'Artisan Pirate.'

Rey couldn't help but smile widely. 'Good to meet you, Mr. Solo,' She greeted.

'Good to meet you too, Master Skywalker.'

She dropped his hand, and slid them over his shoulders to his neck. Tasting his smile was something Rey never wanted to get used to! He pulled her close, pulling his lips away to simply hold her close, exhaling over her shoulder. Rey's heart fluttered, her blood warming slowly. She closed her eyes, resting them against his neck. She was with her dyad, now. He was safe, here in her arms.

SWSWSW

Poe moved around the docks, seeing fishermen secure their boats for the night, their bodies exhausted from a day of fishing. He hesitated, pretending to be interested in one of the boats, waiting for a group of fishermen to pass him. The sun had already set, and darkness was closing in quickly. He looked around, seeing the last fishermen step off the docks and head towards Needler Avenue. Quickly, he cut a canvas with one of the daggers Kylo had thrown, and burrowed himself into a boat, pressing his back against the unstable floor.

He waited, listening to the sounds of the ocean, breathing slowly lest his heartbeat give himself away. After some time, he exhaled and peered out of his crawling hole. It was pitch dark on the docks, with only one small light from a midnight fisherman… oh, wait, nope. The light was snuffed out by a rush of water that was undoubtedly a massive grouper fish eating a midnight fisherman for a snack.

Poe moved back to the floor and unbuckled his trousers. It was unconventional, but it worked so he wasn't going to chide himself. Resting on his pelvis was a communicator that he withdrew and unravelled, revealing a scroll-like light blue screen that he immediately turned down the brightness on with a glance to his entrance hole.

'Beebee Ate,' He hissed. 'Come on, buddy! Wake up for me!'

He touched several glowing dots on the screen and waited, hoping against hope that the droid was wakening from his induced power-down for the reason that they got hijacked.

A flurry of Arubesh appeared on the screen, making Poe jolt and scream silently. BB-8 was awake and safe! He was asking for Rey and was surprised that Poe was contacting him, but he was safe!

'We were jacked, buddy,' Poe told him, his words typing in front of him. 'You were on the secondary transport and that one was taken and ours blown up. I don't know where you are, but we're on a place called the Cove on the planet system of Courkrus.'

He pushed the send button and waited, feeling the boat rock around him from sudden movement beneath him. The Arubesh writing returned, making him smile widely.

I can get out of the ship. Shall I find you?

'Yes,' Poe told him. 'Stay away from a place called the Hive. 'We're going to be here for a while so take your time. Be safe.'

You too, Poe. Do what you have to do to stay safe.

'Copy that. Move at night, talk at night. Radio silence until then, okay?'

Roger. Talk to you tomorrow!

Poe sighed, rolling up his communicator and sliding it back down his pants. Rey might have a reason to stay on this system, but Poe would be damned if he remained for longer than necessary even for a beauty like her!

SWSWSW

Rey blinked herself awake, the gentle swaying of the hammock proving to be quite the adversary. She sat up, hearing what awoke her once again. It was a deep grunt, and a shuffle against the dirt floor on the other side of the reed curtain. Reluctantly, she swung her legs over the side and stood, taking a second to get used to solid ground. Ben had been fairly confident about his neighbours not stealing from each other, but then again, there were exceptions to every rule. She moved towards the reed curtain and stopped, seeing the cause of the noise clearly.

It was Ben, asleep on the floor with only a threadbare blanket between his body and the dust, a jacket stretched tight over his exposed arm whilst the other shivered beneath his head. He grunted, his face pinching, as he adjusted once again atop the threadbare blanket.

Rey smiled, her heart doing summersaults against her breastbone. He had left the hut whilst she changed, and he hadn't returned when she drifted off to sleep. Now, he shivered on the dirt floor next to his boxes of jewellery scraps.

It was nothing for Rey to pick up his jacket and arouse him, and smaller still to take his hand and guide him to the hammock with her. He laid down first, his black hair clashing with the grey and white rabbit fur bed mat. Seeing him stretch on the wide rope bed, made Rey's heart flutter so that her chest was almost sore! This was his niche, tailor-made for him and his length. Rey sat down at the edge of the hammock, electricity at once surging through her veins. She had never been this close to a man. Hugging him was certainly different than crawling into a man's bed.

She scooped her hair into a handful, and rested it against her shoulder before lying down. He pulled the blankets over her hips and shoulders, the wool a perfect welcome in the chilly evening. She had barely gotten comfortable when she felt his hand slither over her side and pull her close. She adjusted her head, finding his elbow inching towards her. She lifted her head and let herself fall back onto his chest, her head lifting to rest onto his arm and pillow, his breath heating her throat. She sighed, her entire body warming so quickly, yet so softly, she couldn't breathe. She rested her hand on the one he had on her stomach, butterflies emerging from the two when he lifted his thumb and nestled it just between her breasts. She felt her lips spread softly, feeling at once so small and yet so complete at the same time.

Before she knew it, Rey was awakening once again, this time in the blue dawn. She looked up, and found Ben's face studying hers, his eyes dancing, and his features light. How long had he been studying her? It didn't matter. Butterflies beat against her body, lifting her hand to move a strand of hair away from his face. She leaned forward and kissed him, fire erupting from the touch of his lips against hers, singeing the butterflies until she turned her body to him, adjusting to his cool skin as a wilting flower to the dew. She turned to her side, letting him rest on his arm to better return her kiss in gentle, inexperienced ebbs. Rey pulled him closer, tilting her head slightly to the right, her heart hammering at the feel of his constricting arms, beating to an increasing thrum that could only be felt in this moment with this man.

They broke away, their foreheads pressing together to inhale the presence of the other, their hearts beating as one. A tear leaked onto Rey's thumb, one that she wiped away. He lifted his chin, and kissed her forehead, urging her to nuzzle into the hollow of his throat and exhale, hands resting on his shoulders.

'You have no idea how many dreams you just made a reality,' He breathed, his voice groggy.

'Tell me,' Rey whispered, kissing his throat.

'Just one,' He answered. 'The one where I wake up and kiss the love of my life.'

'How funny that we had the same dream,' She smiled, her knee rubbing against his hip.

He hugged her, lips pressing against her forehead as his hand cupped the back of her head. 'I wanted you the second I came back,' He told her, his voice breaking. 'But I couldn't! I – I couldn't!'

'Why?' Rey breathed. 'Why couldn't you, Ben?'

'I needed to make sure he was gone,' He answered. 'I needed to make sure he wouldn't come out when you needed me. I built… Ben.'

Rey opened her eyes and leaned away slightly, the tears threatening to choke her. She looked up at the wooden slats of his modest roof, and at the wooden cabinets that held his belongings. 'You made this for me?'

'For us,' He told her. 'You… and me. A life I can be proud of. A place you can come to and call home.'

The tears spilled over, prompting him to release her and caress her cheek, tracing the line of moisture down the bridge of her nose with his thumb.

'What's wrong?'

For once his deep voice barely made a sound, and his eyes searched her face without fear rejection from her, or admonishment for asking a question. He simply wanted to know why she was crying.

Rey looked up, and swallowed. 'I've been home,' She cried. 'The first time we touched hands, then when I healed you, and when we kissed for the first time, I was home. Each of those times was like… walking into a house, and just knowing that I belonged there, with you.'

He lifted his eyebrows, and gasped, studying her as though she was a new book that had become his favourite on the first page.

'Damn, sweetheart,' He breathed.

He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her with an even fiercer passion, breathing hot breath into her and crushing her into his chest so much that Rey truly thought she was going to explode with love. That was the best way to describe this wildfire! Love, pure and unfiltered raging through her so that she felt his body tilt hers back onto the rabbit fur mat, his knees nudging her legs apart. The hammock swung, but Ben didn't care. He kissed her with such a fearsome ardour that Rey could do nothing but tilt her head back until she thought it would snap clean off succumbing to his kiss, breathing each chance that she could, her hands wrapping under his arms and gripping his shoulder blades with her nails.

From the shop, a piece of metal slid across the work table and fell to the ground with a _thunk! _

Ben ripped his lips away, leaning back to miss Rey's reach. He panted over her, eyes still closed and his core hinting that he was far from done. He opened his eyes, and turned to the shop, not even flinching from his stance over Rey as he called, 'Edran, is that you?'

Something shifted in the shop, making Rey turn to look around Ben's solid log of an arm to see who it was. She shot her hands up and pushed him off her sending the hammock swinging from side to side with a creaking noise, but in time for a pair of sea-blue eyes come to peer around the reed partition.

'Stay down,' Ben cooed, lifting his body and resting an open hand on Rey's breastbone, 'He doesn't like strangers.' He turned to the eyes again, and called louder, 'Edran, is that you?'

The boy shuffled forward, revealing an olive-skinned child with greasy black hair, a dirty linen shirt, torn trousers, and no shoes. He looked at Rey, then at Ben, but said nothing. He merely nodded shortly, thin lips a single line.

At once, Rey looked at Ben who gave a short snort, his face relaxing.

'Start the fires for the forge and the oven and I'll be out in a minute to make you breakfast, okay?'

Rey looked back to Edran, in time to see him move his eyes to her. He turned and walked out without a word or a sound.

Rey turned back to Ben the moment he turned to her, raising her eyebrow.

'I watch him while his mother works,' He told her.

'Really?' She asked, sitting up slightly. 'Why?'

Ben smirked, 'We're both chatterboxes.'

Rey giggled, turning to her side and slipping her arm under her head, waiting for him to continue.

Ben smiled, caressing her shoulder with gentle fingers. 'Nah, he um, he liked coming over here, hiding out. Kept taking him back home, but he kept coming back each morning, taking my bread. Found out his mother doesn't really understand him. And I just…' He shrugged. 'He's a good kid. Helps me out.'

'You cook?' Rey asked, admiring the way his face looked when he spoke of his new life. He was proud. He was on his own, doing what pleased him. He finally had pride!

He nodded, his features light. 'Luke taught us. I can survive in any environment.' He smirked at her, 'Hungry?'

She nodded. 'Yes, I am.'

He cupped her face and gave her one last passionate kiss before tossing off the blanket.

SWSWSW

Rey made up the hammock, folding up the pillow and blanket in the bed mat before hooking it up just as Ben had done it and moving back the reed curtain, providing ample workspace for him and customers to move around in. For her clothes, she had been told that she could leave her shirt with his tactical one and that a girl would be by later to pick them up and wash them. His white shirt hung to her knees and the sleeves hung over her palms, but the collar was wide enough that she could slip both her arms through and tie the sleeves around her neck. It could have been a dress, but she wore her trousers anyway. When she fixed her hair, she took her lightsabre and attached it to her belt under her shirt-dress and went outside, causing Edran to whirl around and Ben to glance up from his work.

'Hello,' Rey cooed to the boy, moving to sit on an upturned wooden barrel next to him.

Edran jumped up, blue eyes wide, feelings of immense fear washing over him. Rey opened her mouth to assure him, but Ben cut her off.

'It's okay, Edran,' Ben told him, 'She's a friend.'

Edran looked back at Ben, then at Rey, then sat back down, leaning his body away from Rey. His feelings weren't settled, but he trusted Ben.

Ben smirked, then turned to Rey, 'Sorry, he's not used to girls staying for breakfast.'

'Oh,' Rey commented without meaning to.

His head shot up, eyes nearly as wide as Edran's. 'Oh, kriff! No, I didn't mean it like that!' He lifted a hand covered in batter. 'No, his uh, his father lives in the men's dorm, has a lot of sleepovers with girls who aren't supposed to be there. In the morning they have to run, and Edran… well, he uh, he was taken there when the marriage broke up. Thought it would toughen him up, but it only made him quieter. No, I-I've never…' His face flushed and he turned back to breakfast. 'You're the first and only girl I've had in that bed.'

Rey flushed with him, looking away. Well, that was good to know!

'That's, the first time I've shared a bed with a man,' She told him, daring to look back at him. 'Ever.'

He looked up at her, his hair falling into his face that he flicked back. He smiled, then continued with making breakfast.

She watched him make a quick dough that he then formed into small bread loaves, then set a cloth over them so that they could rise. Someone had brought him a box of groceries, comprising of a flask of milk, a wheel of cheese, nuts, misshapen eggs and what looked like a steak that could be thinly sliced and fried in a pan. Edran sat close to Ben munching on a fruit bulb, the tendrils of leaves hanging over his fingers, shooting glances at Ben then at Rey.

When the heat of the oven was sufficient, the bread had risen enough to slide it in. By this time, Rey's stomach was growling and she had inched closer to the forge fire to stay warm. Ben was comfortable in his tank top, trousers, and work boots, as was Edran in his threadbare clothes. But it was Rey who needed to get used to the cool, salty breeze.

'Almost ready,' Ben smirked, his eyes glittering as he looked at her.

He must have done this so many times before! He barely looked at the pan has he cracked eggs into it, and laid the steak in without the egg whites touching once! He chopped up some fruit and handed the plate to Rey, unable to hide his smile as he did so. He pulled the pan off the fire, grabbing the metal handle with his bare hand and moving it to the work table. For the bread, he slapped the risen balls onto the prepped floor of the clay oven. The smell of the yeast and flour was so intoxicating it drew Rey forward, fluttering her eyes closed. Edran took the first plate, Rey the second, and Ben the third. When the bread was ready, Ben used a metal hook, scooping them perfectly onto the table as well without breaking the skin. Rey almost dropped her empty plate trying to break through the hard crust, the smell of the steam from the soft, spongy middle worth the wait.

'Tasty?' Ben chuckled, serving his own breakfast.

'Absolutely!' Rey tried to say through a mouthful of yeasty goodness. She drank a good swig of milk and was able to tell him, 'I've never had anything like this!'

'Now that's sad,' Ben smirked. 'Didn't think my cooking was worthy of praise.' He looked at Edran, both of them chuckling into their bread as he ate his breakfast in small, precise bites.

When Rey had finished with her plate, Edran jumped up from his seat and took it, moving to the back of the house-shop to what must have been a water pump and washbasin because he busied himself with cleaning the plates and cups in a precise, practiced movement.

'Precise, isn't he?' Rey commented, rising to move next to Ben as he cleared off his work table.

'That's how he likes it,' Ben told her. 'Can't be moved from it. Just ask him how he does it, and he'll show you.' He finished wiping the table from breadcrumbs and turned to her. 'Time for work,' Ben told her with a half-smile.

Rey hesitated, her cup of milk halfway to her lips.

'I should probably find work,' She told him. 'Earn my Kyber.'

'You don't have to if you don't want to,' He told her. 'I can earn enough for the both of us by Announcement Day.'

'When is that?'

'About two months,' He guessed. Edran appeared next to him and held up two fingers. 'Yeah, two months.'

Rey looked at him, and finished her milk. 'You want me to not earn my Kyber?'

'You don't have to is all I'm saying.'

'Why are you doing this?' She asked, handing her cup to Edran. 'The room for Rose, the job for Finn, letting me stay with you. Why?'

Ben hesitated, studying her. 'I… I want to…' He mashed his lips, lifting his eyebrows. He sighed and reached out to take her hand.

Rey gasped, his feelings surging through her. He wanted to impress her, to earn her approval. Like he wanted to earn Snoke's approval…

'Ben,' Rey breathed, his feelings lessening. She squeezed his hand and moved towards him, encouraging him to turn to her and rest his hands on her waist. 'Ben, just being the man you've built yourself into impresses me. Being proud of your shop, and trusted by your friends and neighbours, astonishes me to no end.'

His breath caught in his chest, and he said nothing, his fingers merely holding on to her to hear more from her.

Rey looked at his lips for a moment, then glanced back up at him. 'You're not him,' She murmured. 'You're far from him, now.'

He looked away, blinking rapidly and biting the inside of his cheek. From his touch, Rey could feel his unfiltered joy. Progress! Absolute progress in the work he'd done! No one else could have given him such a feeling. Finn could have said the same words, even the Blacksmith, but they wouldn't have come close to the same effect. He had taught himself to rewire his entire mindset, the way he had been tortured and trained, for her.

'I'm going to find Rose,' She told him, drawing his attention. 'See how she's doing. If I come back with a job, I'm taking it. You can't be too nice before spreading yourself thin.'

'The room was a deal with Lady Australis,' He told her, pressing the heel of his palm into his right eye. 'She gets the first pearl bracelet I come up with. Finn and Poe Dameron was just my way to get you to myself.'

Rey giggled, brushing the fuzz on his jaw with her thumb. 'Is that how you got the groceries? You negotiate for jewellery?'

'I will with that one,' He smirked. 'He wants to soften me up first.'

'Any luck?'

'Oh, I'm going to make him work for it.'

She giggled as she kissed him, his laugh sweetening the touch on his end. 'I'll see you tonight.'

She moved to step back but he held her hand, his eyes looking down to her collarbone.

'Say, if I wanted to court you,' He began, 'If… I wanted to treat you as… my girlfriend…?'

Rey's smile spread wider and she turned away, hoping to hide her blush. 'Erm, I don't know,' She told him. 'I've dated before, but, I didn't like it.' She looked up at him. 'I, want to know who you are. What this place is to you. I want…' She inhaled, thinking.

'To be seduced?' He asked, slipping his fingers between hers. 'Understood?'

'Yes,' Rey sighed, the butterflies in her stomach erupting. 'And please, don't get me flowers. I don't understand why killing beautiful flowers is seen as affectionate.'

Ben chuckled. 'No flowers, got it.' He released her as Edran arrived at the table with a box full of iron scraps.

SWSWSW

Rose had traded her underdress for a simple white dress akin to the style that the women on this system wore. It was an ankle-length skirt to anyone who looked at it, but was cut in the front almost to the hem to reveal the legs. For this season, still chilly, Rose wore a long sleeve midriff blouse that exposed only about three fingers of naval. When Rey found her, the two women started at the other.

'Where'd you get that?' They asked one another.

'I traded my dress for it,' Rose told her. 'It was good material, so they say. You?'

'This is Ben's,' Rey told her, smoothing her shirt-dress. 'Mine needs to be washed.'

'So you earned the boyfriend sweater,' Rose commented, tilting her head.

'And you survived the night,' Rey sighed.

Rose looked around, eyes on the girls who came in and out of the dorm. She made a motion with her head signalling for Rey to follow and she stepped away from the dorm, eyes taking in the awakening village.

'So, you're popular,' Rose began.

'Me?' Rey asked, lifting an eyebrow. That usually didn't happen until after she showed her lightsabre.

'Apparently, half the village wanted to get with our favourite artisan jeweller and sword-maker, and you succeeded.'

Rey smiled to herself. 'If only they knew!'

'They don't know,' Rose told her, her tone firm. 'They know nothing about him, not even his name. No one goes by real names around here except those who were born here. They wouldn't tell me why, they just said that's the way it's done.'

'What's your name?' Rey asked. They had come up to Merchant's Avenue, the smell of bread lifting Rose's chin.

'They call me the Princess,' Rose replied. 'Because I got the best room wearing the best dress.'

'How is the room?' Rey asked. 'I might stay with you tonight.'

Rose turned to Rey, her look one of utter disbelief. 'You haven't stopped smiling, and when you walked up you were blushing. You don't have to if you have a better offer.'

Rey couldn't help but laugh into her hands. She spread her palms over her face, trying to hide her blush, but the more she tried, the more she coloured!

'I've never seen you like this!' Rose scoffed.

Rey dropped her hands. 'I've never felt like this before!'

'With him?'

Rey looked at her, her colour draining. 'Rose, he's… changed. He's nothing like he was! He is a completely different man.'

'You know what Leia told me one time?' Rose asked, slowing to a halt. 'She said, don't mock year-long trees for summer flowers. Because come winter the trees are ugly but the summer flowers are dead.'

Rey hesitated, watching the wind catch the strands of her black hair.

'I agree,' She told her. 'So, we'll just have to enjoy summer until winter comes. Then we'll see who he really is.'

Rose half-smiled, her shoulders dropping as though she had been holding them tightly until she saw Rey again.

'Now,' Rose sighed, looking down the avenue, 'Let's earn some Kyber.'

By noon, Rose had found a position with a woman the villagers called the Shot Caller in a place that overlooked the village in a tall, wooden lighthouse. As there were no more deep-sea voyaging ships, the need for the lighthouse was moot, but it served as the perfect vessel for a satellite intercepting transmissions from the Republic and former First Order. The Shot Caller was a Chagrian female that wore a leather sailing habit although all she did was stalk up and down the aisles of girls wearing headsets and recording the numerous opportunities for the pirates, collecting what she thought would be prize missions. It was dangerous as any invading Republic ship would hit the place right away, but Rose was willing to be among transmission girls for the high payments it would bring in.

Rey was offered a place next to her, but she declined, feeling Ben's words and the Force call her elsewhere. The Shot Caller shrugged her shoulders and showed Rose to her station, promising the new girl that she would not have to work the night shift until she got used to the order of recording good hauls.

'You're the Artisan's girl, aren't you?'

Rey turned, seeing the Shot Caller halfway turned to her. Rose looked up from her station, giving Rey a look that read, 'I told you so.'

'Yes,' Rey smiled.

'Watch you back,' The Shot Caller warned, looking her up and down for the tenth time that hour. 'And for heaven's sake, don't use your real name. Princess have you learned your tasks yet?'

'Not yet,' Rose jolted, returning to her station.

'Don't look up until you do.' She commanded, turning her back to Rey and moving forward.

'I'll walk you back to your room tonight,' Rey told Rose, before walking away.

Rose gave her a quick thumbs-up, before returning to her station and the open manual for how to properly intercept messages.

SWSWSW

Ben hammered away at the long piece of metal, eyes watching to make sure that the new sword was not going to fall apart. Edran sat next to him, hands clamped over his ears, and legs swinging to a tune only he could hear, but Ben recognized the rhythm to. He set his hammer down and turned, dropping the sword into a barrel of water. He sighed, and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Behind him, Edran jumped down, the sound making Ben turn. Edran's mother appeared in the doorway of the forge entrance, her curly blonde hair tied into a headscarf. To anyone else, this woman was utterly gorgeous with the perfect hourglass frame, bulbous breasts, perfectly plump lips, and voluptuous legs beneath her white skirt. To Ben, she was annoying, and he knew exactly why she was here without using the Force.

'Edran, you ready, honey?' Her voice was soft. In another realm, she could have been a singer.

Edran shook his head, his blue eyes wide.

'I can take him home later,' Ben told her. 'Unless you need him now?'

'I was done early,' She told him, flashing him her best coy smile. 'I just wanted to be with my little man.'

Edran shook his head again, shuffling towards Ben's side.

'He really likes you,' She sighed, resting her body against the doorframe. 'Would rather be with you than with me.'

Ben had several comments to make on that, but he said nothing, merely removed his gloves and dropped them onto the table.

'Word has it that you brought a woman back from your latest mission,' She commented, moving to the work table. 'Is that true?'

'Yes,' Ben told her.

She looked over the table. Taking him in from hair to hip. She turned to Edran, 'Honey, go inside and make sure the Artisan's jewellery is in order.' At once, her son went inside, but his eyes could be seen from a small sliver of the door. That was, until his mother drew herself closer to Ben, her alluring body certainly capturing his attention.

'I had hoped,' She purred, 'That I would be receiving one of your beautiful rings this year.'

'There's still time,' Ben told her. 'Announcement Eve is two months away, and there are plenty of boys in the village.'

'How many men?' She asked, taking one of his hands. Slowly, she brought his palm to cup her breast, pressing his fingers into the plump fabric. 'Is it women you desire, Artisan?'

'Yes,' Ben answered, his look cooling. 'One woman, who isn't you.' He lowered his look to his hand and cocked his eyebrow, waiting to be dismissed.

SWSWSW

Rey watched Poe haul krill baskets into a boat, motioning for him to meet her at a local tavern and restaurant when he was finished. She had gone back to Ben after leaving off Rose and he told her that he would finish the day's work and meet her and her family there. Finn had been busy getting instruction from the Blacksmith, and so she had left him alone to peer around at the merchants and the different neighbourhoods. Apparently, Ben belonged in the Prolet neighbourhood, but he saw the half-destroyed shop shack and knew of the opportunity to set up a forge and so claimed it. Being far enough away from the village and the Girls' Dorm must have also been a perk.

She moved back to the Blacksmith's shop, seeing once again a dresser's shop filled with lovely gowns of gold fabric, one pre-teen girl being fitted for a dress in one of the glass windows. That must have been a Glitterati merchant, but she didn't go into it. She probably would have had to have drawn her lightsabre by the severe look the proprietor gave another little girl who pressed her nose against the glass.

'Hello!' A woman called, causing Rey to turn.

At once, Rey was struck by her beauty! Holding Edran's hand in one palm, and a wicker basket in the other, she was a vision in white, her legs a prominent feature as she wore the same dress as Rose had, only her short curly blonde hair was held back by a headscarf.

'Hello,' Rey answered, turning full around to meet with her.

'You're the Artisan's woman?'

'Yes, I am,' Rey told her.

'Right,' She released her son's hand and held it out to her to shake. 'I'm Edran's mother.'

'Oh, good to meet you!' Rey smiled, shaking her hand.

'I also do the laundry for many of the single men,' She released her hand and lifted her basket. 'Yours had quite a bit of blood on it.'

'Yeah,' Rey half-smiled, shifting her weight. 'The crossing over here got a bit messy.'

'No problem,' She smiled, her face alighting so much Rey had to look away. She was utterly beautiful. 'You want it back to white? I can dye it, make it easier to keep clean.'

'Oh, don't worry about doing that,' Rey assured her. 'Just do your best.'

'Oh, of course!' She grinned.

At once, Rey felt something shift in her. Something, either clicked or snapped, because her look was certainly less genuine when she asked:

'Where do you know the Artisan from?'

Rey hesitated, measuring her feelings. She was jealous. She had felt this before, in men as well as women. But why would such a beautiful woman be jealous of Rey?

'We became acquainted during the war,' Rey told her.

'The Artisan didn't serve in the war,' Edran's mother told her, lifting a perfectly arched eyebrow.

Rey felt her jaw set. 'Who told you that?'

Edran's mother said nothing, merely looked her up and down, a flicker of familiarization alighting her face when she recognized Rey's shirt-dress.

'I don't believe I caught your name,' She told her, eyes meeting Rey's.

Rey lowered her chin a fraction. 'I didn't catch yours.'

'Laundress!'

Edran's mother flinched, Both women turned to see the Blacksmith standing in his doorway, leather apron stuffed with tools and Finn looking up curiously over his shoulder.

'Have you my washing, today?'

Edran's mother shifted uncomfortably. 'I'll have it packaged and ready for you tomorrow.'

'See to it that you do,' The Blacksmith hollered, two merchants poking their heads out of the shop to see what was going on. 'I'm not paying you good Kyber to store my clothes in your laundry.'

The Laundress shot a look at Rey, and moved away, shouting at Edran to follow her.

Rey watched her go, inhaling her feelings as no less than three men poked their heads out of their shops to watch her hips sway past. Rey shook her head and turned to the Blacksmith, noting how he seemed to be waiting for her, drawing her into his crude little shop next to his forge.

'That woman could've fallen the First Order if they'd seen those tits.' He told her.

'Don't know,' Rey smirked, 'I always thought Stormtroopers just appeared out of thin air and said "Yes Commander".'

'You know you're not going to hear the end of her,' He warned, untying his apron. 'She's had an eye on the Artisan since he arrived. They had a moment, or, at least we all thought they did. But she was first in line if ever he turned his head to the ladies.'

'What is about the names?' Rey asked, lifting an eyebrow. 'Why doesn't anyone give their names but the children?'

'Did you meet King?' The Blacksmith asked bluntly, halting from taking a handful of iron hooks to set on his shelves.

'Yes,' Rey told him, leaning against the post. 'We've met.'

'Now that's a true meeting,' He scoffed, pointing at her with a hook. He tossed the hooks onto a shelf and continued. 'King, so called because he runs this entire parsec, was once a very little man… did Artisan tell you this already?'

'No, he didn't.'

'Alright, a little man whose family was murdered because he didn't give the wrong crew the right calls. So, he sent in the Republic, the one before the current one, mind you.' He looked at Rey, 'He had a book of everyone who was wanted by the Republic and the Empire. A side job from Shot Calling for his own purposes. After that, he changed the currency to Kyber and blew up the other ports so that the Hive is the only one in or out.'

'So that's why you don't give your real names,' Rey breathed. 'In a system of pirates, warrants must be pretty big.'

'Oh, yeah!' The Blacksmith told her, moving more iron products onto his shelves. 'And I'll give you one guess as to who is the number one blank space on his current book.'

Rey straightened, frowning. 'B-er… the Artisan?'

'Oh, yes.' The Blacksmith halted his movement. 'He's promised a bounty of one Kyber, a thick, clear crystal the likes of which I've never seen around here. Beautiful one! He's offered it to whoever can give him the Artisan's name and what he did before he landed here.'

'And, I…?'

'You, just became the prettiest girl on the system,' The Blacksmith chuckled. 'Your name, and your association with him will be the biggest mystery to be solved.'

Rey leaned back, eyebrows shooting into her hair. Well, that wasn't good for the only Jedi in existence…

'There is a way for you to remain here in peace though,' The Blacksmith continuing, his voice dropping and his movements slowing. Rey lifted her head and felt the Force. He was uncomfortable telling her this, but his hope was urging him on. 'Many of us don't like how King is ruling over us. Haven't liked it for years. If he were to… suddenly not be King anymore, there would need to be a replacement. Someone who could walk into the room and command it without saying a word.'

Rey swallowed, 'You want the Artisan to be the new King?'

'Aye, me and several others from the different moons. Your man is a born leader, a hell of a good comrade, and… well, now he's got a woman to match.'

'You don't know me,' Rey blurted.

The Blacksmith smiled at her. 'I see you. You look soft, delicate. But you've got something to you. The Artisan went for you, too. He has'na given any girl here a second thought or even entertained them for more than a handful of minutes. But you, you he took into his home, cared for you.' He gestured to her shirt-dress. 'Cared for your family, too. The man loves you. Was in love with you when he came here.'

Rey looked to his display shelves, feeling her cheeks colour once again. She swallowed the butterflies and turned back to him. 'So, is that why King had B-er… the Artisan give up all of his Kyber?'

The Blacksmith had been in the process of lifting a particularly heavy basket of items when he swung it back to where he had picked it up from and whirled around.

'What?'

Rey straightened, feeling the Force. 'When we came here, when we met King, he took Ben's ship and all of his Kyber for myself and the one the girls call the Princess. It simply struck me as odd that two women could cost so much.'

'What happened?' The Blacksmith demanded softly, coming close to her. 'I know he came back without a crew.'

Rey inhaled. 'He killed the crew. He started killing them because one of them assaulted me. They were fine with it as not touching women seemed to be his terms. But, the more I think on it, who was to say that they weren't planning on raping us and Ben was fulfilling his terms of protecting us?'

'Exactly,' The Blacksmith muttered, his eyes looking away in thought.

'Yes, then he took all of his Kyber. That bag was almost overflowing, I saw it.'

'The Artisan is the single highest-earning man in the Cove,' The Blacksmith told her, eyes meeting hers. 'Even the Glitterati jewellers who work gold cannot come close. He took all of it?'

'Ben said that I cost him all that he had. Now if he had another store of Kyber left in his shop, then I'm unaware of it-'

'No,' The Blacksmith interrupted, shaking his head. 'No one leaves their Kyber when they go on missions, no single man anyways.' He set his jaw, and clenched his fists to keep from shivering. 'You're sure?'

'I was there,' Finn's voice told them. The Blacksmith turned and saw Finn emerge from the forge area, a glowing red hook wedged between a pair of pliers. 'Artisan didn't want to do it, but he did it for… her.' He jutted his chin at Rey.

The Blacksmith turned back to Rey, a layer of resolve settling over him. She could feel it seep into his muscle, and etch into every speck of blue in his eyes. He was going to start a rebellion whether Ben was ready or not.

'No one, slave or woman, is worth a ship and a bag of good Kyber.'

'Talk to him first,' Rey commanded. 'I might not have all the details correct.'

'Aye,' The Blacksmith grunted, eyes gleaming. 'You can bet we'll be having a chat here soon.'

_Please review!_


	10. Chapter 10

_1) I recognize the canon says that Rey's father is a failed Palpatine clone, but given that it is a stupid-ass decision, I have elected to ignore it._

_2) I have changed the rating of this story to M for Mature. This is the official NSFW warning (I'll try to put them up for chapters that have it)._

Chapter 10

Rey waited at the Tavern with Rose, the pair watching the patrons come and go with interest. With every drinking establishment, there were the barflies, but with this place, there were so many people coming in and out with their spouses and families, this must have been the only reputable place in miles.

They watched a plate of steaming seafood move passed from the bar, Rose almost drooling. 'I'm so hungry,' She murmured, watching them set the plate down at a table with a merchant and his wife.

'Want something?' Rey asked, turning to her.

'I haven't eaten since breakfast,' Rose scoffed. 'And that I'm pretty sure I stole but didn't stay too long to ask.'

Rey stood and ordered them a plate of krill and two lomin ales. To pay for it, Rey offered herself as a waitress starting tomorrow. Ben's offer was sweet, but with this small of a village and the inability to do anything Jedi-related for fear of exposure, she needed to keep busy.

'Thank you,' Rose sighed when Rey returned with the ales.

'Seat taken?' Poe asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to Rose. He lifted his hands, revealing fingers rubbed red with hard labour. 'I've never worked like this. Crawling into ships is nothing to fishnets.'

'At least you found something,' Rey proffered.

'For today,' Poe told her, dropping his hands. 'One day got me three Kyber. Tomorrow, I've got to go back and ask for another job. Hopefully, they won't give me less than today.'

'One Kyber gets you a hot plate and a drink,' Rey told him, looking back at the bar.

'Good deal,' Poe standing to move towards the bar.

'Evening, ladies,' Finn called, moving towards them. He must have sponged off before coming because he smelled nicely of homemade soap.

'Hey Finn,' The women grinned.

'I can only stay for a bit,' He told them, taking a seat next to Rey. 'Blacksmith's Wife is making dinner and I get paid at the end of the week.'

'I can share if you want,' Poe told him, returning with a pint of lomin ale.

Finn took a hearty gulp the second Poe set his mug down.

'What have you guys found out?' Rey asked, lowering her voice.

'No names,' The three said immediately.

'What are your names?'

'Princess,' Rose sighed.

'Soldier,' Poe replied, taking back his drink.

'Spy,' Finn strained, shaking his head from the strong drink.

'I'm the Wanderer,' Rey told them. 'Or the Artisan's Woman.'

'And where is the Artisan?' Finn asked, looking at Rey.

'He's closing up his shop for the night and going to meet us at any moment. I think he wanted to bathe first.'

'And you're not with him?' Poe asked.

'Want me to be?'

'Guys!' Finn and Rose called, leaning back into their chairs.

'Speaking of the Artisan,' Poe sighed, leaning over the table. 'That name keeps coming up, everywhere. Hell, even the fishermen who won't have anything to do with piracy know about him.'

'There's more,' Rose added, also leaning forward and therefore prompting Rey and Finn to do the same. 'The Shot Caller made it clear that she will pay one hundred pieces of good Kyber for anyone who picks up a transmission of his real name.'

Rey and Finn glanced at each other. 'You need the whole story,' Rey sighed. She told them, and Poe's eyes grew wide when she got to the part about the reward.

'You mean, a lightsabre crystal?' Poe whispered.

'I think a lightsabre crystal,' Rey told them.

'So,' Rose pondered, her words coming slowly, 'What would that mean for you and your… sword? It has the same type of crystal inside of it, doesn't it?'

Rey straightened, eyes wide. 'It does.'

'So no one can know that you're… gifted?' Finn asked, fingers intertwining.

'No,' Rey told them. 'They find me, they can find him and vice versa.'

'Yeah, but we're not wanted out here,' Poe pointed out.

'Doesn't mean anything,' A deep voice replied.

His hands brushed Rey's shoulders, making her smile jump onto her face. He grabbed a chair and moved it just behind Rey, making Rose shuffle her chair towards Poe. His hair was still damp from a bath, and he had thrown a grey jacket on over his black work shirt and wore one of his necklaces, a simple driftwood rectangle with a single black pearl inlaid in a divot.

'Republic might not want to punish you, that doesn't mean other pirates won't use you for ransom.'

'Like King?' Rey asked, turning to look at him.

'Especially King,' Ben told her. He gave her a gentle smile, a warm hello.

'So, we're really stuck down here?' Finn asked, leaning forward. 'You can't do some… _gifted_ stuff?'

Ben looked at him, 'With what? Got a set of wings under that apron?'

'If we could get hold of a ship,' Poe corrected, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice.

'If you can get hold of a ship, then maybe.' Ben told them. 'There is one thing you need to embrace, all of you.' He made eye contact with the four of them, 'If you're not down in the Hive, it means you like the way things are going on this system. Meaning, you've got something to run from and run to. You threaten that peace, you even come across as threatening to shake up that peace, then you're taken care of. I've seen it happen, it's not pretty.'

'What about you?' Finn asked. 'You staying or going when the time comes?'

He turned to Rey and rested his arm on her backrest. 'I go where you go, if you'll have me.' He murmured.

Rey smiled at him, and rested her hand on his knee. 'I'll take you.'

'So, getting a ship?' Poe asked, leaning back in his chair.

Ben faced him, and replied, 'Good luck. Make yourselves available to go on pirate runs, you'll gain trust. If not, Princess has the ears, Soldier's got the go-to muscle, Spy has the intel, and Sweetheart has me. You're all in positions to figure a way off.'

'What are the basic rules we need to follow around here?' Rey asked. 'Help us keep our heads down.'

'Mind the three classes, do your work, mind your business and keep your ears open,' He said immediately. 'Other than that, no one cares.'

Rey stood at the sound of 'Artisan's Girl,' and grabbed their krill plate, shoving it in front of Rose first before sitting.

'I got a job,' She told Ben. 'I'll start here tomorrow.'

He stiffened, looking at her. 'What?'

'I need something to do, I'll go mad just wandering around while everyone else works.'

'Here?' He lifted his eyebrow. 'You're sure?'

'How hard can it be?' She asked. 'I'm taught to serve.'

'You're also taught to use a lightsabre, which you'll probably use more than your service skills.'

Immediately, nerves coursed through her veins, but she swallowed them. 'I can manage,' She told him.

'Artie!' The Blacksmith's voice called.

Ben looked up, prompting Rey and her trio to follow suit. The Blacksmith stood with four other men, all comprising of some type of facial hair, all built with muscle, and all of them bearing some form of disgusted look that could only be remedied by his presence. At once, he turned to Rey.

'They want me to go,' He told her, leaning into her shoulder. 'Will that be alright? I said we'd be together tonight.'

Rey turned to him and nodded. 'We have all night, and they're only asking for a moment.'

He smiled, the sight warming her. 'Alright, then.' He cupped the back of her neck and gave her a quick, intimate kiss. 'See you tonight.'

'I've got to get going, too,' Finn told them, rising.

Rey looked at Rose, seeing her stuff her face with the krill, then at Poe who bounced his knee, looking around at nothing in particular.

'I'll walk with you,' Rey told Finn. She didn't want to, she knew what was going to happen, but she also knew that the longer she waited, the worse it was going to be. She stood when Ben was across the tavern, and followed Finn out the opposite door.

Rey rolled her eyes and sighed, feeling it to her knees as Poe jumped up and he and Finn ran to walk shoulder to shoulder with her out of the tavern and towards the Prolet houses.

'Him?' Poe asked.

'Yes,' Rey answered.

'Him?' Finn asked, looking over his shoulder.

'Yes,' Rey repeated.

'Why?' Poe demanded.

'Why not?' Rey asked.

They both scoffed and laughed loud, ingenuine guffaws.

'He tortured you!' Poe cried.

'No, he didn't,' Rey corrected.

'Yes, he did!' Poe insisted.

'Oh, you were there? You saw him torture me? Because I recall, he never got the chance to touch me because I turned the tables on him. Ask him and he'll tell you the same.'

'He tried to kill you,' Finn added. 'Many times!'

'So did a bunch of other people and they failed, too.'

'He specifically had it out for you!' Poe cried.

'I am aware of that. He offered me the opportunity to be his queen because he couldn't defeat me.'

'He's not a nice guy, Rey!' Poe wailed.

Rey whirled on him, nearly causing him to stumble as she glared him down and stalked him backward. 'He's not a nice guy?!' She growled. 'Really, Poe? I should be worried about him? I should be worried about him losing his cool?!'

Poe moved backward, his face immediately fearful as she advanced on him, his demands moving to a sputtering defence. 'He's not even good looking!' Was the best he could come up with.

'I kissed you, Poe, and you look more of a toad than he does!'

'We just want you to be sure, Rey,' Finn cooed.

Rey turned around, her eyebrows shooting into her hair. 'You want to be sure?' She repeated.

Finn started moving backward, frowning, 'Yeah-yeah…'

'You, want to be, sure?' Rey scoffed, taking a step forward. 'At least Ben had the bravery to walk up to me and say "I'm not perfect, but I want to ask you out on a date rather than just stare at you hoping you'll look at me in the same manner."'

Finn stopped, his body jolting as though she had stunned him. The ocean waves crashed around them, but still, he didn't speak. He was too shocked to speak.

'You think I didn't notice, Finn?' She asked. 'You are always there, always coming after me even when you know I have the situation well in hand. Even when you didn't have a prayer of fighting off Kylo Ren, you came to defend me. Do you think I didn't notice the longing looks? The lingering touches?'

Each revelation changed his face, melting it and freezing it again and again. 'You… knew?' He asked.

'Yes!' Rey cried. 'But you never _said_ anything, Finn! You never asked me out, you never expressed your feelings in any way that I could interpret as actually interested in reaching out.'

'So, you go to Kylo Ren?'

Rey turned back to Poe, lifting her eyebrow. 'He's changed. I saw him change during the war and now out here I see it all the more. He did it not just for me, but for himself. He recognized what he did was wrong and he has changed his entire _life_, which by the way he literally didn't have one as of three years ago. The first thing he did upon coming back from the dead was aim at changing how he was raised and what he was taught through torture to believe.' She turned back to Finn and inhaled, 'He could have found me that first year, but he didn't! He stayed away until he knew that he could support me emotionally. He did that on his own, by himself. He saw the error of his ways and is taking conscious steps to fix it.'

Finn nodded, turning away to the Prolet houses and setting his jaw. 'So, the next time you come available I should stalk you across the galaxy to offer you my hand?'

Rey squared her shoulders, and inhaled through her nose. 'Bold of you to assume that our courtship will end with either of us finding different people.'

Both men gaped at her, Poe flinching forward. 'What?'

'If you'll excuse me,' Rey declared, looking both men in the eye, 'I'm going to try to get some krill before Rose eats it all and my boyfriend's waiting for me.'

She walked through the gap both men made, shivering as she moved. She was a cloud, cut free from a white blanket. She had never declared herself free from the men she called her family, not even when she exiled herself to Tatooine. She was Ben's now, only his.

If she failed, she would have to come crawling back to them. If Ben disappointed her, she would have to disappoint herself more.

SWSWSW

Ben was late returning to the shack. In the meantime, Rey fumbled around for candles or even oil to light up the space. She found what looked like Ben's practice box filled with dusty metal bowls and filled them with wood scraps and lit them. Thankfully, the wood wasn't too dry so they burned slowly with less significant amounts of smoke.

Rose had eaten a significant amount of the krill dinner, something Rey couldn't be too angry at because she didn't have a support system as Rey did. So, Rey found a loaf of breakfast bread and some of the fruit and ate it while taking in the small shop.

When Ben walked in, he found her dusting her hands and peering at a small chest of drawers that was locked. He glanced around, noting the candle bowls and smirked at her.

'Comfortable?'

She glanced up, mostly eaten fruit bulb wedged between her teeth. She took it out and smiled sheepishly. 'Was trying to find candles or oil.'

He smirked, and told her, 'I don't have them. I'm always out on the forge, so I don't need it. I can get some, though.'

'Oh, well, not right now.' Rey told him, rising. 'The bowls are fine.'

He gestured to the locked chest of drawers. 'That is my exclusive collection,' He told her. 'Those aren't for sale.'

'Why not?' Rey asked, looking down at the unnoticeable chest of drawers.

His smile faded, 'Because those are the pieces that come to me in my dreams. And… from what I can remember from the World Between Worlds.' He paused, 'Would you like to see them?'

'Absolutely!' Rey grinned, moving away from them.

Ben took out a set of keys from his pocket and knelt before the drawers, unlocking them. Rey watched him. His meeting hadn't gone over well, she could tell that by just looking at him. He stood and slid open the top drawer, then stepped back to let her peer within.

Despite the dim, Rey gasped at the contents. If the pieces on the shelves were any indication of his capability, then these were signs of his absolute mastery! Delicately wrought chains of thin silver and copper, interlocking over precious stones, a woman's collar comprising of two driftwood pieces on the left and right and connected by thin pieces of sea glass. Hoop earrings with the inside lined with descending pearls. There were even earrings that looked like water avians with long tail feathers fashioned into hooks, a cuff bracelet of a goddess that looked like Leia sporting three large black pearls on her fishtail dress, and an even bigger piece of long black coral supporting at least four strands of misshapen white pearls interspaced with black and gold pearls.

Each piece was immaculately made, and each carried an energy that was exciting to behold, but there was one that caught in the firelight that drew Rey's attention more than any other.

'A crown?' Rey gasped, taking up the delicate looking piece.

It was truly exquisite! The band must have been gold, twisted and wrought so expertly, Rey could almost taste the Force's guidance. Atop the band, resting so softly she was afraid to touch them at first, were rows upon rows of clouded Kyber crystals all lined up to create a centre point. It was a roughly hewn royalty, but it fit so perfectly in Rey's hands, she couldn't help but admire it for moments, turning it slowly to take in each facet, each golden twist.

She glanced up, seeing Ben watch her once again. He had a different smile this time, though. He seemed, expectant. Like he knew she was going to admire that piece in her hands with that amount of enthusiasm.

'Whose crown is this?' She asked him.

His eyes moved down to the crown and he reached out to touch the twisted band with admiration. 'This,' He began slowly, 'Was the crown your mother wore to your dedication ceremony.'

Rey's heart skipped a beat, and she sputtered. 'You saw my mother?' Rey gasped, looking up at him. Such a thing like this couldn't have touched her mother's skin. But the feel of it, knowing that he had been inspired to make this must have meant…

He nodded. 'She was so beautiful. You look just like her.'

She gasped, her chest rising and falling quickly. 'Did you talk to her?' Rey asked, lowering the crown. 'Did she say anything? Can you remember?'

'Erm,' He sighed, 'I… I couldn't, _speak_ to her. There was a type of veil that we couldn't cross. She was one of the first people that I saw, I remember that much. She could show me her memories, and I could feel her emotions as the memories played and she could see and feel mine. It was…' He shook his head, turning away, 'Weird. But I knew she was asking about you. Her and your father,' He chuckled, then. 'Your father didn't like me. Didn't like what I did to you, he argued with your mother a lot, pointing at me. Motioned he wanted to strangle me.'

Rey couldn't help but smile. Her father, too! And he was protective of his baby girl! She cupped her lips with her free hand, the crown in her hands suddenly warm and intimate. A memento that she never had suddenly returned to her.

She slid her hand to her chin and asked, 'Who was my mother that she needed a crown?'

The sight of Ben's fading smile was not at all welcome. He shifted his weight, and looked down at the crown. 'This was given to your mother to wear at your naming ceremony. She had given birth to you, and so was to be honoured.' He didn't meet her eye once.

'What does that mean?' Rey asked, frowning.

Ben inhaled, then turned to Rey, 'Your father was the last Palpatine. It was expected of him to produce an heir worthy of his bloodline. It didn't help matters that the Sith oracle declared that his firstborn was going to be the empress who would restore the Sith to glory.'

A shiver ran down Rey's spine. That had been true until Rey decided to fight her destiny and become a Jedi.

Ben continued, 'Your mother was chosen for your father. It wasn't romantic, they didn't court. And their wedding wasn't anything close to what we think it to be. They didn't exchange vows, there were no flowers, no drunk best man getting emotional. There was a room with a bed, and your mother was told that she could leave it only one way, and that was pregnant. Your father was told, well… _encouraged_ to perform… as quickly and as efficiently as possible.' He looked away and inhaled slowly, 'There was… an unbelievable amount of pressure on the two of them to produce a child. It took a while, longer than what the Sith thought was needed. They bonded during that time. They were far from love, but there came a respect.

'When you were born, they tried to keep your mother away from you, but that didn't happen.' He smirked, 'You wanted your mother and would refuse to be put with anyone else. It was what she needed. When you were named, that was no small thing. The Sith Oracle called you forward, that was something to add to the prophecy of your conception as well as the expectation of your father's blood. Your mother was revered as the bringer of the next empress.'

Rey blinked and leaned back slightly, 'Next?'

He smiled, and nodded. 'Reyviana Corinne Palpatine the Fourth.' He spoke slowly, enunciating each name with due reverence. 'You were named after the first empress of your bloodline, the first Palpatine empress. It was no small thing to name you after the Reyviannas. Sith names are promises. You were to be… beyond expectation.'

'And my mother called me "Rey,"' Rey snorted.

Ben's smile widened, 'She, uh… she took your royalty from you with that nickname. I know it sounds stupid, but, she took the expectation away from you. By calling you just "Rey" she made you a kid, someone who is normal. The Sith would have never allowed it. To them, you were a queen who was going through a phase where you needed diapers and slobbered on everything. To your mother, you were a baby.'

Rey looked at the crown in her hands. What was once beautiful, was now a shackle. Her mother gave it away for her.

'D'you, do you know what happened?' Rey asked. 'What lead up to them selling me?'

Ben nodded. 'Your mother showed me. She killed one of her attendants and kidnapped you. Got passage on a ship and fled. Your father begged to be the one to find her, used their bond as a reason she would come back. He found her, but… he loved you too much to let you go to be turned to the Dark. Your father took you and your mother to Jakku where they did eventually fall in love. She was even pregnant with a second baby when Ochi found them.'

Rey inhaled sharply, a knife slicing through her heart. 'I-I was going to be an elder sister?'

Ben nodded. 'They never gave you up. Even when your father died and your mother had been stabbed in the stomach, your mother never gave you up.'

'Don't tell me any more,' She cried, her eyes beginning to water. She could imagine her mother, a scared young woman clutching a teal bundle in her arms, this crown attached to her brow as she scurried through the night, trying not to look over her shoulder but unable to manage it.

'You did an incredible job, Ben,' Rey breathed, rubbing her thumb over the crystals.

'But, you don't want it.'

'No. Not for the reason that it made her a slave to the Sith.'

'She said you wouldn't like it,' Ben sighed. 'But, I didn't know how to bring her up in conversation.'

Rey looked up at him, her heart falling at his crestfallen face. He had given her something of her mother's, took time and pride into hoping that she would appreciate it. Slowly, she turned the crown and slid it onto her hairline.

'Do I look like my mother, Ben?'

He looked up, and started, his eyes widening at the sight of her. 'No!' He sputtered. 'Well, I mean, yes you do look like your mother, but… I had a dream about you looking just like this!'

He reached for a small looking glass secured to one of his shelves and showed it to her. In the dim glow, the Kyber on gold caught brilliantly, the colours… matching perfectly with her eyes! Rey took the glass and peered into it, taking in her reflection, how the colours brought out not only her eyes, but her lips and cheekbones, too.

'You're so beautiful,' Ben murmured, voice barely above a whisper, eyes studying every inch of her face.

Rey set the looking glass down and turned her body to him, sliding her arms around his neck. Their lips met at the same time, eyes fluttering shut. His hand cupped her buns, pressing her head against his whilst his arm pulled her closer. He towered over her, the arching swoop of his head to tilt to his right forcing her to realize just how majestic he truly was.

He jolted when he felt her hands slide his jacket off. His breathing quickened, as did his heart rate and he stopped kissing to stare at her. Rey smiled, and bit her lip. 'Don't worry,' She told him, 'I won't if you're not ready.'

He swallowed, the noise almost audible. 'Are you?'

She hesitated. She _could _be if he was. Was that the right answer? Or should they both be ready to rip each other's clothes off to devour the other like tigers over a piece of meat?

He smirked. 'Maybe, we can kiss and touch? Just until we're both ready?'

She nodded, relief flooding her limbs. 'I can agree to that,' She smiled.

He smiled, his toothy grin searing her soul. He kissed her once again, both arms wrapping around her whilst hers encircled his neck. She drank him in, tilting her head further to the right, letting his lips open hers more. He turned his head, his lips pecking hers with each angle turn, the clicking sound of his flesh leaving hers music that she wanted to hear all night long. Before she knew it, he had lifted her to seat her on the chest of drawers, his lips not leaving hers once. Her breathing quickened, prompting his to do the same. She could smell the lomin ale on her breath, a bursting exhale rocking her head back onto her shoulders as his hands smoothed her ribs, to her stomach, to her breasts, to her neck, the crown jumping on her hairline she moved.

Rey's hands floated to his hips, and hooked his shirt, her neck rocking forward to see the black fabric reveal his chest, toned widely with fighting muscle, his pectorals inviting her forward to bury her nose between them, her lips tasting his muscles. A small moan escaped from Ben's throat, his eyes fluttering shut as his chin tilted upward. Rey took her time, licking little portions of his surface before kissing the wet trail, her nails gently scratching him down to her temples. She looked up at him, their eyes connecting with such a smoulder they could do nothing but smile. She rested her chin atop his sternum, letting him pull the crown off her brow and set it aside.

He took her hands and lifted her to her feet. Turning her back to him felt perfectly natural, as did crossing her arms behind his head and letting him kiss her neck as his hands smoothed her arms, down to her breasts to her hips. She gasped loudly as he guided her leg onto the chest of drawers, her breathing coming even faster and her fingers weaving into his fluffy hair. He waited, hand on her knee, for her eye to meet his and nod, letting him continue. His left hand moved upwards, cupping her breast as the right traced her inner thigh to smooth her stomach. His left hand moved over her breastbone and cupped her throat, thumb and forefinger lifting her chin to turn to kiss him.

Their mouths opened wide enough for their tongues to touch, fire surging from one body to the other. Ben rested his hands on hers, fingers intertwining so that he could untie her from his neck and turn her to face him. He cupped the back of her head, letting her hands rise once again to rest on either side of his face, their lips moving in a slow, synchronized pace that was so intoxicating that when they pulled apart, their foreheads pressed together, their lips throbbing slightly as they gasped into each other, heartbeats galloping together in perfect harmony.

_Please review!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Cute alert!_

_Please review!_

Chapter 11

Edran awoke Ben and Rey the next morning by crawling under the hammock to poke Ben's shoulder, then crawled back under the hammock to light the oven fire. Rey couldn't help but smile as she lifted her head from Ben's chest, feeling the boy's dislike for her. It was change, and that he didn't like.

She looked at Ben, seeing his arm tucked behind his head and her favourite smirk on his face. 'How long do you watch me in the mornings?' She asked, not caring for an answer.

'I don't know,' He replied, 'I just like watching you sleep.'

'Do I talk?'

He chuckled, and said nothing.

She giggled. 'If you're not going to say anything, I have a better use for your lips.'

His fingers ran through her hair as they kissed, her hands resting on his shoulders.

'I have something for you,' He told her, swinging his leg off the hammock.

'For me?' Rey asked, letting him up.

'I take issue with what the Tavern makes it's waitresses wear,' He told her. From the forge entrance, she watched him step out, grab a paper-wrapped package, and come back in, seating himself carefully on the hammock. 'This isn't meant to be pretty, it's meant to be functional,' He told her. 'You'll throw a right hook by the end of your shift, I promise.'

Rey looked up at him, eyes wide. 'What did I get into?'

Ben chuckled. 'If you asked, I could have gotten you a job somewhere else.'

'Sorry,' Rey murmured, looking down at the package. 'I'm not used to asking for help.'

'Not used to asking, or used to getting judged for asking?'

Rey's eyes met his. She exhaled slowly. 'The latter.'

He gave her a crooked smile, and rested his hand on her upper knee. 'Me too.' He looked towards the reed curtain, and his shoulders rose slightly. 'I still hear him. Pushing into my thoughts, calling me weak for asking for help.'

'Ben,' Rey cooed, resting her hand on his.

He turned back to her, eyes studying her face. 'I… I have a piece of gold fabric. I found it in the Glitterati scraps and I took a little piece. It's nothing, really. But, I… I kept it in my pocket. I needed it almost every day. I needed a little piece of something to remind myself that he's dead. That the voices are just memories. And his memory can't hurt anymore if I tell myself that he's gone.'

'Oh Ben,' Rey breathed, moving the package aside and curling next to him, pulling him into her arms. 'You've done so much to distance yourself from him!'

'Some days, it's not enough,' He told her, kissing her bicep. 'Then some days, I forget that I've ever lived another life.'

'You're living a clean slate, now.' She told him, stroking his hair. 'Far from the First Order, far from your family.'

'But never far from you,' He told her, the smile clear on his words.

'Whether you like it, or not,' She giggled.

His laugh echoed through the shack, his body jiggling her. He rolled onto her lap, eyes looking between her breasts as he grinned. 'You should bathe before you go into work.'

'Where can I do that?'

There was a smaller shack just off to the back of the shop where Ben kept a privy seat, a wooden tub, a space for a speeder bike, and the necessary equipment for fixing said bike. The tub had to be filled by hand and emptied the same way, something Ben helped her with after mixing the bread dough. He even provided Rey with several glowing steel balls to heat the water, and he gave her his bar of soap and a hair lotion that the women at the dorms made.

Rey bathed quickly, savouring the feel of getting clean. The soaps smelled wonderful! The hair lotion smelled like a local weed that could be used as a cooking spice and poured out wonderfully into her hand. On Jakku, Rey bathed perhaps once a month, and even less than that when they were in the stormy season. There simply wasn't a point to her getting wet and washing off the dust only to walk into a storm cloud.

Wrapped in a cotton sheet, Rey unwrapped the paper package. It was a long sleeve, shorts romper of a dark colour, the neckline plunging to just below her breasts. It was pretty, regardless of what Ben thought of it. It had a panel that draped over one breast, wrapped around her neck, and draped over the other, and two pockets sewn on top of the legs. She could have easily attached her lightsabre to the waist and still be considered fashionable, but such was not her luck. She would have to ask Ben if she could keep it in the locked drawer with the jewels he had made for her. She might even wear one of the necklaces!

She stepped out of the bathing shack, hair done and dressed in her working outfit and grinned when she saw the colours in the grey morning. It was a cerulean blue, and it fit comfortably!

'Aren't you gorgeous?' Ben smiled, looking up from sliding the bread into the oven.

'I think I need jewellery,' She grinned, sliding her hands into the pockets.

He let her place her lightsabre in the drawer and waited for her to right herself before he tied the double driftwood connected with sea glass necklace around her neck.

'If you need me,' He whispered in her ear, 'I'll be there in two minutes. One to call me, one to get over there, okay?'

'I'll be fine, Ben' She assured him.

'I know you will,' He told her, resting his hands on her hips. 'But, in case you do need me, I'm two minutes away.' He turned her and flicked the hair out of his eyes. 'Now, kiss me. Or I'll make you miss your shift.'

Rey giggled as she threw her arms around his neck. Her eyes had just fluttered shut when Edran rushed into the shop, moaning and jabbing his finger out to the oven.

'I'll see you tonight,' Ben told her, giving her one last kiss before releasing her.

SWSWSW

BB-8 swivelled his head, his central eye trained on two of the men on the ship in front of him. He was successfully around the Hive, but not out of danger. In front of him, two ships were nestled among the grasslands, two or three crewmen sleeping in the cool evening. He had seen it before when he was still loyal to Poe. The crew would simply get sick of sleeping in their safe quarters and so would take blankets, jackets, or even mattresses and stretch out on terra firma. BB-8 moved over a small hill, eye on the first sleeping lump. According to a droid he had incapacitated and drilled relevant information out of, there were approximately six villages before the one called the Cove.

Of course, it had to be the last village on the rollable surface! Poe knew nothing else! Perhaps if he'd listened to Rey more often, then they could be somewhere safer and possibly _still on the ship! _

BB-8 moved slowly, withholding any beeps, and willing his ball base to be quiet against the grass. There was a coast somewhere around here, his audio sensors could detect that much, but he didn't want to go there. Water attracted people -humans in particular- and he had to get around unseen (or at least mostly unseen).

As he moved, his audio sensors detected something. He stopped, listening in. A trickle of water and a grunt. Again, experience with Poe suggested that this meant that a male was urinating near his ship. BB-8 dared to continue, remembering how particular males were about their private parts.

'Hey, there!'

BB-8 halted, daring to turn to look at the voice that called to him.

The urinating man had heard him and turned his body halfway, still urinating. 'Where'd you come from?'

Naboo, BB-8 chirped. From here, there was only one way to go, but if he went that way too soon, then he risked this man raising the alarm and an entire crew of men chasing after him. The best course, was for him to let him go away.

'Naboo,' The man pondered, finishing and adjusting his trousers. 'In the secondary ship, I imagine.'

BB-8 said nothing. Apart from the pleasant surprise that someone else spoke Droidspeak, BB-8 was getting the strong impression that this man was one of the ones who commandeered their ship.

'You came with the girl with the lightsabre, then.'

BB-8 jolted forward. Yes, He cried. Yes, where is she? Can you tell me where I can find her?

'Oh she's in the Cove,' The mand told him, turning. He wasn't very tall, about Poe's height. In the dawn, his skin appeared russet, and his forehead was certainly broad. 'She and a couple of others from that ship went out there.'

Can you take me to them?

The man cocked his head, 'Oh, you have to work around here to get where you want to go. But a droid like you's likely to be sold for parts come sundown. If you want,' He sucked on a tooth and knelt to BB-8's level, 'You work for me for a bit and I'll take you to the Cove.'

At once, BB-8 knew he shouldn't trust this man. His mission was to go to the Cove, and he shouldn't deviate from it! He also couldn't help but notice that the crew sleeping outside was beginning to stir and sit up. His window had closed.

Do you work for the Republic?

The man scoffed. 'Me? No, no I don't work for the Republic. I do some work for a couple of Senators, though. They report what I give them to the Senate and so on, so on.'

That wasn't an assurance. But given that BB-8 had no other alternative, what choice did he have.

How long until I can go to the Cove?

'There's a big festival called Announcement Day,' The man told him. 'The night before is the highlight of the Cove's year. Big feast, big get together. It happens two months from now. You think you can wait that long?'

BB-8 hesitated. Poe did tell him to take his time…

Yes, I can wait.

'Sounds like a deal,' The man smiled, cupping BB-8's head. 'What can I call you, little one?'

BB-8, and you?

The man dropped his hand. 'Around here, they call me King.' He stood and jerked his head for BB-8 to follow. 'Tell me about your friends.'

SWSWSW

Ben had been right about one thing: Rey had thrown a right hook before lunch! In fact, she had thrown four right hooks, two lefts, several haymakers, and broke two wooden tables before lunch was over.

She panted, staring down the last man standing, measuring the arousal and sheer fear in his eyes at this delicate-looking woman holding the serving tray that had knocked out his other two mates. His fear gave way and he tried to rush her to bolt out the door behind her, but Rey was quick. She dropped the tray, grabbed the man and sidestepped at the same time, using his momentum to propel him into the bar where she quickly wedged her shin into his neck, her other leg propping her up in a firm position.

'Your mates left you with the bill,' She growled, 'That'll be ten Kyber. Plus a tip!'

He gave a ten Kyber tip, one that the Tavern Keeper assured her she could keep along with the rest of the day's wages.

'I've never seen a girl get rid of the Omet Gang like that before!' He guffawed, helping her remove a broken table from the restaurant floor. 'Or anyone other than the Artisan. They also learned quickly with him.'

'He learned quickly with me,' Rey grinned.

'Artisan was rough with you?' The Tavern Keeper asked, halting his movement suddenly.

Rey inhaled. 'He was trained to be rough with everyone he met, men and women alike. I changed his mind and he changed his life.'

'Well, isn't that a story he kept from us,' The Tavern Keeper smiled.

They set the table outside the tavern and stood. 'I didn't think he spoke to anyone very much.' Rey told him.

The Tavern Keeper cocked his head. 'Every now and then. Spoke when spoken to, that sort of thing.'

'Sounds like him,' Rey smiled, flinching suddenly as her cheek pinched against her.

'Take a break,' The Tavern Keeper told her. 'I'll get you some coolant.'

The coolant on this system was a gel spread on a gauze wrapping and tied around Rey's fists and pressed to her cheek. Rey took a seat, one she knew to be unpopular by the patrons but often fought over by the waitresses. She exhaled, pressing the cool to her cheek.

Ben had known what he was talking about. The other waitresses were given cerulean outfits of breast wraps and bottoms that barely hid their buttocks with a half skirt in the Cove style that exposed their legs. The ones who Rey had fought with, had at first verbally wondered why she hadn't been wearing the same outfit, then became physical about it. In her romper, the men couldn't rip her skirt over her buttocks and with the plunging neckline, they were distracted whilst she grabbed a bottle of lomin ale and cracked it upside the head of the assaulter.

A person rushed into the tavern, making her sigh. She was about to call Finn's name when she looked up and saw Poe rush in, scanning the place with his eyes wide. She straightened at his concern, taking in his panting chest, his taught fists. He whirled around, eyes seeing her and gasping.

'Rey!'

'I'm fine,' She told him, watching him take a seat across from her.

'No, you're not, look at yourself!'

'I can't, I don't have a looking glass.'

'Does he know?' Poe demanded, lifting his hand and touching a sore spot on her chin.

'No,' Rey told him. 'If he's not here, then no one's told him.'

'And he let you work here?'

'Yes, because I need his permission to work,' She grumbled, flinching away from his touch. 'And he did warn me this morning.'

He watched her shift in her seat, his face horrified. He smelled of fish and sweat, but it didn't matter. He swallowed and took in her uniform, 'You ain't working here anymore.'

'My shift hasn't ended, and I'll work wherever I please.'

'You got your face kicked in, Rey!'

'I didn't come anywhere near those men's boots! They felt mine, but I didn't get near theirs.'

Poe nodded slowly, 'Men?'

Rey inhaled and let it out in a short breath. 'Poe, if you're going to repeat everything I say, then I'm going to go back to work.'

'Just stay put,' He urged, touching her elbows. He shook his head and turned away, his feelings of agitation solid as he sat there. 'I don't like seeing you like this.'

Rey rolled her eyes to look at him, and said nothing.

He turned back to her. 'I mean it. I don't like this.'

She took in his hair, once so groomed in the Naboo style, his clothes once of fine silk.

'Did you see anyone after me?' She asked, her voice soft.

He inhaled through his nose, his eyes trailing over her frame.

'No,' He told her. 'I… I couldn't. You're not an easy one to follow.'

She smirked with her good side. 'Well, that's a good thing at least.'

'I had to talk to someone after you. After… what I did. I knew it wasn't right. I knew I had to do something. Tell someone. So, I did.'

'So, that's why you're still here,' Rey commented.

'I meant it,' He told her. 'I want to try again. I… I know how to take care of you, now.'

'I know you did,' Rey told him, adjusting her wrapped hands on the table. 'But, I'm taken. I'm happy.'

'Happy getting your face smashed up?'

Rey smiled, despite the pain in her face. 'Poe, that was the first fight I've been in so long. I almost forgot how much fun they were.'

'Fun?' He asked, leaning back into her seat.

'Yeah,' She sighed, still smiling. 'I've been reserved, wise, patient above all. I've had to use my words to fight, and my lightsabre to avoid anyone coming near, that I forgot the rush of not thinking and only reacting. The sheer rage needed to propel my fist into someone's face. I missed it! I truly missed fighting.'

'I didn't think it was the Jedi way,' Poe told her, frowning.

'What way?' She asked, cocking her eyebrow and rising to finish her shift.

She finished her shift hours later, the Tavern Keeper paying her fifteen Kyber for the day. She had wondered why so much when he wished her to give his best to the Artisan with feelings of sheer worry. She thanked him for the day and promised to be back the next day, with hopefully less of a need to fight to make it through the day.

She walked through the village, taking in the evening atmosphere. She was told that her outfit was inappropriate for the evening diners (though she got more satisfied nods from the wives of the pirates than the other waitresses) and so was given the evening off. She massaged her shoulders, hoping that bruises wouldn't form there, and was looking forward to the soft, cool rabbit fur bed mat when Ben came out of the forge to meet her.

He took one look at her, and grabbed her chin, turning her face to the side. He exhaled, his breath hot.

'Are you alright?'

'Yes,' She told him, rolling her eyes to him.

He dropped his hand. 'Are you going back tomorrow?' His words were heavy, filled with meaning.

She nodded, her neck officially sore. 'I made twenty-five Kyber today!'

'I made seventy,' He grunted, hand resting on her hip.

'Good for you,' She smiled, wincing suddenly.

'Come inside,' He commanded, taking one of her hands and leading her into the shop.

At once, her stomach gargled, taking in the smell of cooked fish and vegetables. She smiled, wincing again at the sight of the inside worktable dressed with a fishnet for a tablecloth, and the smell of oil burning in…

'Are those new?'

'Yes,' He told her, his eyes looking up at the bowls fitted with shiny, domed silver covers with dozens of cut-outs of stars casting the shop in a warm, dreamy glow.

'They're lovely!' She cried, moving towards one. 'You can sell these to the Tavern! I'm sure the Tavern Keeper would like them!'

'Come here,' He ordered, his voice soft.

She turned to him, letting him lift his hand and cup her sore face. His eyes fluttered shut, and he inhaled deeply, the Force a thick vein around them.

'STOP!'

His eyes snapped open as she jolted from his arms, nearly knocking a shelf as she did so. Rey panted, eyes taking in his frame.

'You're hurt-'

'No!' She screamed. 'No!'

He straightened, his lips pressing shut.

'No!' She cried, tears choking her. 'Not again! No!'

'It's not that big a deal,' He assured her.

She shook her head, closing her eyes on him. She didn't see the shop, their little home carved out of the pirate village. She didn't see his proud new life. She saw his clothes, a black long sleeve shirt, black trousers, and black boots on a black rock floor, her cries echoing through the cavernous ceiling.

'Okay,' He said. 'Okay, I won't use it.'

The moment he touched her hands, he jolted, her nails unrelenting in her grip. She made him see her. She made sure he felt the strain in her throat as she screamed his name, and the emptiness within her chest at the feel of her dyad separating from her. The promise of a relationship with him taken from her.

'I'm sorry!' He huffed, prompting her to open her eyes.

He was crying! His eyes were wet and he stared at her shoulder, shoulders heaving.

'I'm so sorry, sweetheart!' He cried, looking up at her. 'I'm sorry!'

She threw her arms around his neck, ignoring the sores in her body. His tears were welcome on her shoulder, his cold arms tight against her back. She couldn't stop crying. She couldn't breathe beyond his neck, and she didn't care if anyone saw them.

It didn't matter to her if she earned Kyber or not. She could use the Force to manipulate someone to let her and her family onto a ship, or she and Ben could fight their way to commandeer one. What she wanted, why she took the job and let her family spread out in the village, was him! She wanted time to be with Ben, to ignore the last few years that they were separated, unable to hold each other. One kiss on Exegol was never going to be enough. She knew he chose to give her his life to save her, but she would be damned if she didn't say that it didn't hit her like a ton of bricks later that they could have had an incredible life together. How much they could have loved the other if they'd had more time.

She faced him, unable to kiss him. He nuzzled his nose against hers, his tears still falling. Another tick added in his favour against the man he used to be. She knew Kylo would rather have fallen on his sword than have ever shown someone -including himself- his tears.

'I have a bacta spray,' He whispered. 'I keep it for when I return from missions.'

She nodded, dropping her hands.

Just then, her stomach grumbled once again, making them both look down at her flat pout of cerulean.

'When was the last time you ate?' He asked, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

'I don't know,' She told him. 'It doesn't matter.'

'Rey,' He sighed, looking up at her. 'How often do you eat?'

'When I have food,' She muttered under her breath.

'You're eating each time you leave this house,' He told her, dropping his hands and moving towards his tactical cabinet.

'Ben, don't worry about me.'

He whirled around, eyes hard. 'I am worried, and I wasn't negotiating.' He looked her up and down, 'You're eating, even if I have to shove bread down your throat.'

SWSWSW

Ben jolted upright in the hammock, the wail piercing his ears. At once, he glanced down at Rey, and his eyes widened. Her body was drenched in sweat and she gripped the hammock with both fists, her body nearly falling over the edge. She panted, grunts coming from her throat as she buried her face into her arm.

At once, he was afraid to touch her. Anyone else, any other girl, he could shake them awake and comfort them accordingly. With Rey, what she saw he saw and felt in spades. He shook his head and inhaled. She needed him!

He touched the fabric of her shoulder, and slid his arm under her head, cradling her.

'Rey,' He breathed, shaking her. 'Rey, wake up!'

His thumb rested across her forehead and gasped, the shop melting away to another dark space. One with a black stone floor, high ceiling, and a throne carved out of a rock with dozens of thick black fingers poking around it.

Rey cried in a heap in front of it, one hand wrapped around her stomach, another reaching for the throne. She had lost her lightsabre, and her clothes had been dirtied with grime and blood and shredded. He stood between her and the throne, turning from one then the other. Her conflict was that she wanted the throne, hungered for it, craved its power… her heritage. She wanted to know more about her mother and father, what were their lives that they were born into the Sith cult as they were.

Ben moved, standing between her and the throne. She clutched her stomach, her nails cutting into her flesh, willing to keep herself from advancing any further. She had options in the Light; a school, a family that loved her, an open-ended future with limitless possibilities.

He inhaled, reading her feelings. She was alone. She was always alone. From the time her parents sold her to save her, to when they reunited, she was alone. She felt this choice was her lonely struggle to endure.

He knelt in front of her, taking her outstretched hand and summoned the Force. The one good thing about being controlled by Snoke (Palpatine he corrected) was knowing how to rip himself from dreams. Now, if it would work with Rey he would have to see, but that didn't matter. He had to take her from this one.

'Come on, sweetheart,' He cooed, wrapping his arm around her back. 'Come on, you cannot stay here. Let's go. Let's go to the beach.'

The moment he lifted her from the floor, the dream shifted, causing Rey to blink and look around, watching the rocky cavern tumble and tear across her mind until she gasped and blinked up at the wood slat roof, and smelled the metallic scraps from the forge. She gasped, cold sweat coursing down her temples and pooling into the hollow of her throat.

'Come here,' He commanded, his voice soft.

She cried into his shoulder, her feelings a rush of confusion and loneliness that he felt to his core.

'I'm here,' He cooed, 'I'm here for you, Rey.'

She reached trembling hands around his frame, her cries shifting from sheer despair to the kind reserved for the shame and relief of crying in front of a trusted someone.

'Ben,' She moped. 'I'm sorry!'

'Come on,' He told her, rising. 'Come on, get dressed.'

'Where are we going?' She sobbed, sniffing.

'The beach,' He told her. 'Let's just go, sweetheart. You and me. Come on, let's do it.'

They dressed quickly, Rey still crying as she did so. Ben passed her a rag he used as a handkerchief, adding another line in the ever-growing shopping list of items needed to accommodate a lady in his house. Hand-in-hand, they stepped out into the still night, the stars a bright wash of purples and greens above them. Rey stopped crying halfway through Merchant's Avenue, but she was still distressed. He said nothing, but watched her intently. She was still the girl from the hut! She was still the prodigy trying to make herself less lonely.

'How are you?' He asked, rubbing her hand with his thumb.

She sniffed, swiping at her eyes with the handkerchief before answering: 'I was wondering when that one would show up.'

'Happens often?'

'Only on your anniversary,' She swallowed. 'And, when I… when I remember your death.' She cocked her head to the right and added, 'And, when I mean remember, I mean like it's happening again. What are those called, when you feel like they're happening in front of you?'

'Flashbacks,' He told her. 'They're a lot of fun when you're talking to people and they happen.'

'Try when you're on a romantic date,' She sighed.

He didn't stop and whirl on her, but she felt his pause.

'Poe,' She told him. 'It didn't last more than a month and a half.'

'What happened?'

'He asked me out,' She told him, shoulders stiffening. 'I didn't have anyone, and so said yes.'

'Not what I asked,'

'That's another nightmare and I'm not interested in another.'

He looked at her, taking in her puffy eyes and pouting lips.

'What happened to you?' He asked. 'After I died, where did you go? What… what happened to make you like this?'

She sniffed, and shook out the handkerchief. 'They didn't believe me,' She told him. 'They didn't want to believe that you came back and helped me. That you brought me back to life. They certainly didn't believe me when…'

'Yes?'

They arrived at the docks and turned left where the Prolet and Glitterati houses lined the shoreline. Rey huffed beside him, her nails digging into his hand as her tears seemed to steam out of her eyes.

'Finn didn't want to believe me when I said I kissed you. He mocked me when I told him about the dyad, and our Force bond. He made jokes about it. They would have been funny, but… it hit me suddenly that there was someone in the galaxy made just for me. Someone who understood the Force as I did, had the same power and ability as I did, felt the same awakening within themselves as I did only earlier in life and I spent that time fighting him.'

'You were right to fight me, Rey,' Ben told her. 'I would have only started a new empire, or First Order.'

'But, we would have been together!' She protested. 'We wouldn't have been alone!'

'You wouldn't have been alone, you mean?' He asked, raising his eyebrow. 'Granted, I wouldn't have either. But, our cause wouldn't have been a good one. The Force would have sent someone, established a new dynasty or had us tear each other apart to restore balance.'

Rey whirled on him, her face a mix of cold fury and absolute regret dotted with a red nose. 'We are balance, Ben. Can't you see that?'

He studied her, taking in her fluttering hair to her shimmering eyes and her sleight, willowy frame.

'Of course, I can see it,' He told her. 'I saw it on Star Killer Base when you struck me down. I felt it when you and I touched hands. Of course, I didn't know it at those times, but I do now. We are, perfectly balanced in the Force.'

He took both of her hands then, his heart fluttering and the Force breathing around them. He knew she felt it, too, a sense of completion, of absolute peace just standing there hearing the surf ebb and flow.

Yet, a tightness filled his chest. It had since it happened, and he desperately didn't want to say it but he had to! He had the love of his life in his arms away from her family and from the conscious village, he had to say something.

'When you kissed me,' He began, his eyes moving from her eyes to her lips. How his chest tightened at the hope of kissing her once more! 'When I saved you, I just have to tell you…' He gulped, a shiver unsettling him. Snoke would have screamed at him for feeling this way and confessing it to her, but Snoke wasn't here, damn it! He had no say in this speech whatsoever!

'Yes,' Rey breathed, her body gravitating slowly to him so that their stomachs nearly touched.

The words halted in his throat, beating against an invisible barrier that made his chest heave. If he didn't speak now, he would never get this chance again! She would just remember that he stood there like an idiot gaping at her like a fish and unlike him, fish actually had guts!

'I know,' He stammered, 'I know that you were grateful that I saved your life,' He inhaled, willing himself to finish. 'But when you kissed me, I kissed you back because… because I loved you. I didn't -and don't- want anything from you but to let you know that I love you. No matter what your name is, this woman here,' He rubbed her arms up and down, savouring the look on her face, 'I love her. Beyond death. I love you.'

Rey stared at him, her face soft and her eyebrows high. She shook her head, her thoughts calibrating.

'When… I kissed you?' She breathed, looking at his chest then at him. 'On Exegol?'

He nodded, thoughts racing from 'you're in trouble,' to 'she loves you, you idiot' with each breath.

'Ben,' She breathed. 'I kissed you, because I love you.' She inhaled a shaky breath, 'I realized it when I saw you in my arms. I love you!'

He gasped, thoughts obliterating. She loved him! She really loved him!

'Why?'

His thoughts knifed through his brain. He wasn't supposed to say that out loud! Why didn't his lips work right when she was around? He always had the right thing to say around the Laundress! He knew how to keep quiet around his crew! Why the kriff did he lose control of his faculties around her?!

She shook her head and leaned away slightly. Yup, he was in for it now!

'Has no one truly given you affection without cause?'

He blinked. 'What does that mean?'

She let out a breath, her face falling to sadness.

What had he said?! What did he do? He simply asked a question!

She let go of one of their hands and traced his hair along his scalp, the motion making him shiver. 'You, are worthy of being loved, Ben,' She breathed. 'Just for existing, you should be loved for everything you are. You were worthy when your name was Kylo Ren, and you are worthy now.'

His thoughts obliterated and his heart banged against his chest. A part of him remembered his mother, when she would stroke his hair at night on the occasions that he was awake for her to kiss him goodnight. They had similar looks of softness, but this was different. Rey's love was so different he couldn't explain it. He simply wanted to be in this moment for the rest of his life!

'Deserve, is another matter entirely,' She continued, her eyes meeting his. 'Kylo didn't deserve my love, he barely deserved a second thought. Ben Solo the Artisan Pirate deserves someone who understands him. Someone who can take care of him as much as he takes care of those he loves. But this man, this man in front of me,' She lifted her other hand and rested it on his chest, her warmth searing him to his marrow, 'I want this man. I want him with every fibre of my being. I want to know him, and I want to care for him until my last breath. Perhaps even beyond that, if what he's telling me is true.'

Her smile, that soft upturn of the corners of her mouth, ended him.

He crushed her to his chest, her body squishing beneath his arms, her curves fitting perfectly to his body, and her lips mashing against his. He cried, and he didn't care! She could see his tears, he would let her do that. His tears mingled with hers, their salt fighting against the ocean that sang to them. He couldn't kiss her for very long, his heart wouldn't let him, so he hugged her, breathing in her very essence so that she warmed him, searing him against the cold of his past life. He could have a future with her, he could see that even if the Force left them alone to savour this moment.

After some time, Rey squirmed in his arms, trying to lean away. He released her, hungering to kiss her once more. She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him, her firm hands holding his head against hers. He wanted her! He wanted to slide his hands under her shirt to feel her hot flesh, to cool it with his tongue… but a better idea came to mind and he pulled away, his eyes remaining shut for just a moment more.

'Come with me,' He grinned, taking her hands.

She smiled, showing her teeth. 'Where are we going?'

'You wanted to know more about me,' He told her, his smile unable to be erased. 'Let me show you.'

He took her back to the docks, jumping onto the rocky beach low tide made and helped her down. They only had a few hours, but that was enough time last time, and he only had himself then. He led her over tall, rounded rocks hung with algae and freckled with mussels. In the moonlight, they saw at least three vivid tidepools, the coral and gills of certain creatures glowing brilliantly in the night. Rey gasped when she saw them, her smile painfully wide. Ben had always liked watching them, but now, they had been touched by a new light.

'Come on,' He urged, his smile wide. 'We're just a few feet away.'

'From what?' Rey asked, tucking her hair behind her ears. She was truly beautiful when she let her hair down!

'You'll see,' He told her, moving to the end of the rock where a small cove opened, revealing to them a low ceiling cave filled with black rocks, the low tide allowing them to move around in knee-deep water.

'Is this only available at low tide?' She asked, her voice echoing in the dark.

'Yeah,' He told her, fumbling over the ceiling for a bag he had left the last time. There it was! He opened it, and withdrew a waterproof torch and ignited it, the flame instantly illuminating the white rock cave, dozens of obscure black rocks beneath the water and Rey bent over and rolling up her trousers.

'This is neat,' She smiled, looking around.

As soon as she said it, he knew what she was thinking. It was a romantic spot, a place where they could be _alone_. He chuckled, attaching the torch to the ceiling. 'We can do that if there's time after.'

She looked up at him, her face awash with confusion.

He pointed to the rocks beneath the water, and took a knife from the bag. 'The village likes pearls this year.'

She let out a small gasp as he dipped his hands into the water, revealing not a rock but a shell about a foot wide. He waved her over, and inserted his knife between the upper and lower pieces as she waded over, the splashing loud in the echoing chamber. He pulled the pieces apart with his fingers, and smiled when he saw them in two perfect rows.

'Feel that,' He told her, pointing to the rows.

She lifted a timid finger, eyes intent on the prize. He flinched the shell halfway shut, making her jolt nearly out of her skin. She laughed, smacking his shoulder with a chiding, 'Ben!'

He laughed, his stupid guffaws echoing. He opened the shell and encouraged her to continue. She lifted the same finger and dropped her jaw in wonder at the feel. She pushed the skin of the oyster, her nail cutting easily through the thin film, and out popped a shimmering pink pearl.

'This is a good one,' He explained, adjusting the shell in his arms to push out the rest of the pearls. Eight pinks, those were going to be popular!

Rey held the bag open as he dumped the hastily washed pearls into it, her face illuminated with wonder. He hoped he understood what he was doing. He hoped she understood that he was showing her into his new world, the heart of his business. He could make swords until his arms fell off, but it was jewellery that made his rent and paid for his meals. It was the crafting of jewellery that taught him patience, and compassion. Pride for himself. She looked up at him, her eyes studying him.

It could have been the Force, but he didn't care. He knew, _knew_, that she understood his reasoning. And she smiled, and said, 'Can I open the next one?'

Together, they opened twenty-four oysters, bringing in almost two hundred pearls of varying size and shape and colours. Each time Rey opened one, she let out a small laugh and savoured pushing out pearl after pearl with her favourites being the flat ones that she had to press her fingers into the oyster flesh to extract. All the while, Ben watched her, committing to memory her playfulness and delight. Kylo could have never seen this beauty! He would have killed her in time, not to lightsabres or steel daggers, but to coldness and apathy. Rey would have died before his eyes and he wouldn't have known it until it was too late.

When the incoming tide began to threaten them, they had enough pearls to make a fair amount of jewellery, and Ben insisted on taking at least six of the shells with their meat back home. The rest of the shells, they chucked back into the sea, ready to be occupied by the next shellfish. When they returned to the shop, Ben scraped out the oyster meat into a soup pot and pumped water into it, dropping a flavour packet he had purchased for this reason into it and set it atop the forge fire, adding kindling to the flames to reinvigorate it. He moved back into the shop to see where Rey had taken the pearls and stopped in the doorway.

She had placed the bag on the chest of drawers where her jewellery and lightsabre were kept and seated herself on the hammock, her body exhausted from the night's work. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the sky begin to blue with the rising sun. He turned back to her and sat next to her, pulling her onto his chest more for his benefit than hers. With one foot, he dug into the dirt floor and pushed the hammock backward as much as a lazy leg would allow, and lifted his foot. They swung, snuggled together, back and forth against the chilly morning. Rey adjusted against him, her knee coming between his legs, nuzzling her head onto his shoulder. Ben smiled, his cheeks hurting him, and exhaled deeply into her hair, letting his eyes flutter shut.

_Please review!_


	12. Chapter 12

_A couple of things:_

_1) Trigger warning: assault (towards the end)._

_2) I need to get out of isolation!_

Chapter 12

Rose moved through the Cove, her fingers sore from writing. In the last month, she had become an accomplished Interceptor, finding an incredulous amount of traffic from the Former First Order and, unfortunately, from the Republic. She only reported the First Order, however. She couldn't bring herself to report the flow of the Republic trade ships, passing over the Courkrus parsec. The Shot-Caller noticed, but being as Rose was widely successful, she said nothing. In fact, that afternoon the Shot-Caller offered her a raise of ten percent of every bounty brought in.

She was also offered another prize: one hundred pieces of good Kyber for information on Kylo. The Shot-Caller had been subtle about it, people like her always were. She slid to Rose a paper sheet with his face printed on a small corner, and his nickname scrawled across the top. Rose had seen other papers like this, but this one was the only one with the sorriest credentials she had ever seen! Boyfriend of the Wanderer, swordsmith, jeweller, well-versed fighter, solitary pirate. Rose shook her head as she neared the Tavern. She hadn't given the Shot-Caller anything. She couldn't! She might not have liked the bond between Rey and Kylo, but hearing their words, 'We are one,' along with the sheer giddiness Rey had gained, it wasn't going to be pretty if he got caught or surrendered to the Republic.

That is, she couldn't turn him in _now. _If he did something, anything, that hurt Rey or the guys, Rose would march right up to the Shot-Caller with one kriffing good story!

Rose popped her head into the Blacksmith's shop before entering the Tavern, asking for Finn. In the last month, Finn had become a fair apprentice, even if all he was entrusted with was making fishing hooks of all sizes and weights for fishing nets. A shiver of butterflies tipped over her forehead at the sight of him at the forge, his shirt off and his chest and arms gleaming with sweat. He dropped his new fishing hook into a barrel of water, the white steam washing over him as he sighed.

'Ready for dinner?' She smiled.

She had given him sufficient warning to tell the Blacksmith's wife, and he had received his first Kyber payment of one hundred crystals for the month.

He smiled, and pulled off his work gloves.

'Go tell Rey, see if she saved us a good table.' He told her. 'I'll be out in a bit.'

Rose nodded, adding another check in her crush sheet for Finn. He would rather die than walk out of the Blacksmith's shop smelling like sweat and smoke.

She walked into the Tavern, instantly looking around to see if there were any broken tables outside the door for the Blacksmith to burn as a result of a brawl courtesy of Rey and someone wanting to see if she was the real deal. Thankfully, not today. But that didn't mean Rose didn't see Rey in the back spraying her knuckles with bacta spray.

Rose turned to a waitress and asked, 'How many fights were there today?'

The girl shifted uneasily, 'One, today. Tomorrow might be another story.'

The way she said that made Rose frown. Perhaps Rey knew something? She shrugged and rushed to one of Rey's tables, one that kept an eye on both doors and the bar. Rose adjusted her bag of Kyber against her hip, smiling to herself at the feel of her weekly payment. She had saved almost three hundred crystals! Enough to get her onto one of the moons where she could find one of the smuggling routes to a Republic friendly system. That would be the tricky part, though: trusting a smuggler.

'Hey Rose,' Poe's voice greeted, his frame coming up behind her.

'Hey,' Rose frowned, leaning into him as he hugged her. 'Were you already here?'

'Oh yeah,' He grinned, his teeth poking out from a new (and rather unwelcome) face of hair. 'Filled the ship this morning, docked just after midday. Guys were trying to get me to lead a Kyber mission, but I need a boat for that.' He looked back over his shoulder where several men were negotiating their bill. He faced forward and hesitated before saying, 'You missed the fight.'

'Was it a good one?' Rose sighed, her eyes finding Rey as she moved out from behind the kitchen to collect her serving tray.

'Nope. Lasted five minutes. The guy couldn't take one to the face.'

Rose shook her head as Rey came bounding up to them, a tired smile on her features.

'Hey guys, what can I get you?'

'I'll have my usual,' Poe half smiled.

''I'm not hungry, right now.' Rose told her, looking at her knuckles moist from the spray.

'I'll bring you guys drinks in the meantime.' Rey smiled.

They watched her go, Finn walking in as she walked past. She gave him a short wave and a smile and turned away to her work. He still looked at her and sighed, his face melting at her back. He shook his head and made his way to Rose's table, giving her a hug and a nod of the chin to Poe. He smelled of soap. He must have practiced cleaning up to have made it in record timing.

'How're you doing?' Finn sighed, taking his customary seat.

Poe began telling him about his exploits on the water, telling them about a new cache of bodies of those too desperate to wait to earn Kyber on land and so drowned themselves diving for it. He knew of many pockets of underwater graveyards and even knew where King's Second Wife's villa was-

'We can leave,' Rose said suddenly.

The men turned to Rose, the breath halting in their mouths.

She looked them both in the eye and repeated, 'We can leave, this system.'

Poe leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, eyes on Rey and one door while Finn looked out the other.

'What makes you say that?' Poe asked, voice low.

'There's a Republic ship that comes every so often,' She told them, watching Rey pour out their lomin ales. What she would have given to have had her favourite sweet wine! She swallowed, and continued, 'It comes to one of the moons which we can get to if we play our cards right. It's the furthest point of the trade route.'

Poe hesitated, then breathed, 'BB-8 is here. 'Problem is, I don't know where and haven't heard from him in a couple of days.'

'When did you first make contact?' Rose hissed, eyes lifting to the door Finn wasn't watching. 'And why didn't you say anything?'

'I made contact the night we got here,' Poe told them. 'I didn't say anything in case he got caught, but he hasn't.'

'What has he said?' Finn whispered, looking around.

'The last transmission he said he was trying to talk up some guy near the Hive who owned a ship. That's all I've heard from him in a few days, though.'

'The Blacksmith's Wife hasn't said anything,' Finn told them, turning to them and leaning forward slightly. 'She speaks to King's Second Wife on the regular and hasn't mentioned anything that looks like Beebee Ate.'

Just then, the intimidating figure of Kylo Ren stepped through the door, eyes making the same rounds that Rose's had.

'Heads up,' Rose called, making the boys straighten.

Rose had never seen Kylo during the war, unlike Finn and Poe. She had, however, seen him in his sleek, black TIE fighter. She shivered, remembering that gorgeous jet nightmare that destroyed so many ships and pilots. To her, Kylo Ren hadn't been a man, but an entity. A ghost, even. Now, if she hadn't known better, she would have seen him as a man much like the rest of those found in this village, only much more reserved. Except for when he looked at and acted with Rey. That was when he became an almost completely different person. He became someone Rose might want to become friends with.

The boys, however, only saw one person: the one who haunted their nightmares, the one who had stalked Rey and tried with everything he had to kill her. The same guy who caused her to smile with a girlish giddiness and gravitate towards him like he was the moon and she was the tide.

'Explain to me a dyad, again,' Poe murmured.

'Soulmates,' Rose answered. 'Plain and simple.'

'Not simple,' Finn grumbled, shifting to turn away from them.

Rey, followed by Kylo, made her way to the table, carefully balancing the lomin ales on her tray. Kylo took one look at the table, one sweep with those black pitted eyes, and he nodded to them with a curt, 'Hello.'

His manners didn't stop the feeling within Rose's chest that he knew exactly what they were talking about. He took a chair from another table, staring down the patron who tried to protest. The patron backed down without a word, and Kylo took his seat.

'Poe, I heard you're getting better at navigating the sea!' Rey smiled, handing him his ale.

'It's so much easier than handling those stupid nets!' Poe whined, leaning his head back onto his shoulders, his hands tensing on the table.

'That's excellent!' She handed Rose her drink. 'Can't take a pilot away from the steering.'

'How many fights did you get into today?' Finn asked, staring at her hands.

She flashed him a look of pure scarlet, Kylo at once turning to look at her.

Rey looked back at him, her breath catching in her throat. He said nothing, only lifted his eyebrows as his eyes turned to her hands, then back to her face.

She rolled her eyes and set her tray down on an empty table.

'I'm fine,' She told him, sitting on his knee and wrapping her arm around his shoulders. 'Nothing to it.'

He still took her hand and examined her knuckles, running his thumb over the moist bacta spray. Rey turned her hand and cupped his chin, leaning forward and giving him a quick, gentle kiss.

Rose shook her head, still not used to the display and asked, 'How much has everyone earned? Transport costs about fifty Kyber and getting off-world is one hundred.'

'I've got about a hundred,' Poe told her, adjusting in his chair. 'I can make more, though.'

'I've got about one-thirty,' Finn added. 'And the Blacksmith asked if I'd be willing to go on raids.'

The three sets of eyes turned to Rey, the question lingering the loudest. Rey shifted on Kylo's knee, looking down at the table.

'Three hundred,' Rey nearly whispered.

Rose's eyebrows jumped into her hair and the boys narrowed their looks. Kylo stroked her hip, looking up at her. That look… The way she didn't turn to anyone, Rose already knew.

'If we pull our money together,' Rose said slowly, 'We can go to one of the moons. I heard about a smuggler that can take us to-'

'The Baginta Gang?' Kylo asked, turning to her.

Ice surged through Rose's body just like it did each time Kylo spoke to her, but she swallowed it and replied, 'Yeah, I think that's them.'

Kylo shook his head. 'They're no good. More reputable to steal your money and put you on a pod back to the Hive.'

The boys deflated, Rey turned to him with a light in her eyes, but Rose was not to be deterred.

'Do you know of anyone who could take us to the Republic trade route?'

Kylo jutted his chin out the door, 'The Blacksmith. He'll probably take all your Kyber because he likes the Spy as an apprentice, but he'll do it.'

'You couldn't have mentioned that?!' Poe demanded. His eyes nearly bulged out of his skull and he set a hand on the table that almost knocked his bottle aside.

Kylo took one look at Rey, one meaningful look into her eyes that softened his face and he answered while looking at her, 'No.'

Poe rolled his eyes, white balls in a black-bearded face. 'If you guys want to get it on, go get a room!'

'Shut up, Poe,' Rey commanded, shifting on his knee.

'Rey,' Rose cooed, waiting until she looked at her. 'Rey, you promised me you'd get me home to Naboo.'

'I know I did,' She murmured, her fingers slipping between Kylo's.

'Then what?' Rose demanded, looking at either of them. She couldn't believe this! Rey was the baddest woman in the galaxy! The one who single-handedly ended the war! What was she waiting for?

'What about Ben?' She asked, looking down at him.

It took Rose a full ten seconds to figure out who she was talking about. His real name was Ben? When it hit, she straightened. She was in love! Rey Skywalker, Master Jedi was in love! With Kylo Ren! She was here because of him!

'Can he come with us?' Finn asked, setting his drink down.

Rose almost started laughing when 'Ben' and Poe turned to Finn with almost the same look.

'I take that as a no,' Finn muttered, shrinking into his seat with his ale.

'Although,' Rey mused, looking at the boys, 'Who besides us actually saw his face that's still alive?'

'No one, I think,' 'Ben' replied. 'Those who would know died during the Battle of Exegol.'

She hesitated, chewing on her lower lip. 'Could we call you Ben Skywalker?'

'Over my dead body,' He grunted.

Poe leaned over to Finn and whispered, 'I think that's why she called herself "Skywalker" to begin with.'

The look Kylo shot to them sent chills down Rose's spine, and caused the boys to separate with frozen smiles.

'Think of it this way,' Rey smiled, 'It would really anger my grandfather.'

'As opposed to me being alive?'

'You have a grandfather?' Rose, Poe, and Finn demanded, all three leaning forward. Rose wracked her brain, trying to remember if Rey had ever told her about her family. She had, but Rose always had the impression that she didn't have anyone left, or remembered them…

'When do we get to meet him?' Poe asked, face light.

'You won't,' Rey and Kylo told him, their looks decisively negative.

'How much haven't you told us about yourself, Rey?' Rose asked, frowning as she glanced at Finn. He sat there, saying nothing. Rose inhaled, and set her hands on her knees. She had told Finn, but he hadn't shared it.

'A lot,' Rey answered, standing. 'Because I don't want any part of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, my feet are swollen and I want a bath.' She called to one of the waitresses and waved them over with instructions that she was to take extra care of the table.

She left in a hurry, nearly bussing the Blacksmith and his wife. One by one, the trio turned to Kylo, watching him frown at Rey as she left.

'Not going after her?' Finn asked, his voice amicable for once.

Kylo turned, seeing them look at him. If Rose didn't know better, she would say he looked intimidated to be sitting there with them.

'Not right away,' He told them at last. 'Something's up with her. I'll give her a minute.'

Silence drenched them, with each person looking at each other, daring someone to speak in front of him. Rose leaned in as close as she felt comfortable to him, and asked:

'Who's her grandfather?'

Kylo turned immediately to watch the Blacksmith and his wife take the seat close to them, the Blacksmith's Wife sitting closest to him. They exchanged cordial nods, and Kylo returned to Rose.

'Emperor,' He grunted softly, rising to his feet.

Lightning would have been less shocking! Rose jolted in her seat, eyes wide. That certainly explained a lot!

'You're going?' Finn asked.

Kylo looked at him, the question seeming to stun him. Then, he lifted his eyebrow and snorted, 'Yeah, because you can't wait for me to tell you my life story and I can't wait to hear yours.'

With that, Finn pressed his lips together and Kylo sauntered away from them, leaving the trio to sit there, stunned.

'Empress,' Rose whispered, eyes wide. She wanted to say 'Palpatine.' She wanted to give Rey her proper name, but she felt a nudge on her shin, her gaze immediately shifting to Finn. He shook his head, and barely jutted his chin to the Blacksmith's Wife. She busied herself with her skirt, her ear poised towards Rose to pick up on the slightest bit of gossip.

Rose inhaled and turned to the waitress who came back with her datapad, smiling and waiting for their dinner orders.

SWSWSW

Ben knocked on the door of the bathing hut, earning for it a tired, 'Come in.'

He walked in with his eyes poised to the ground, immediately smelling the perfumed soap someone had given her.

'You can look up,' She told him. 'I don't mind.'

He obeyed, seeing Rey sitting in the bath, knees drawn up to her chin, and her eyes closed. He smirked and moved to kneel behind her, daring to reach out to begin massaging her back. She had gotten fatter courtesy of his insistence on her eating, but she still had a long way to go. She inhaled deeply, and lifted her head.

'That feels good,' She sighed.

He massaged her some more, smiling at the little rolls of fat on her ribs.

'What's going on?' He asked. He turned his hand and gently knuckled her beneath her shoulder blades, pressing on a pressure knot until she whimpered and gripped the sides of the tub. 'You can tell me. I'll listen.'

'I hate my job,' She confessed. 'I want to be a Jedi again.'

He snorted a short laugh. 'Why don't you like it?'

'People are stupid,' She blurted. 'As a Jedi, I could appreciate people as individuals. As customers, I cannot stand them. And…' She shook her head and moved her back to press into his hand.

'What?'

'Just keep doing what you're doing,' She breathed.

'You can tell me,' Ben cooed, looking over her small frame. What he would give to kiss her back!

She let out a deep, deflating breath and turned her head to give him her eye. 'I think the Tavern Keeper is arranging particularly violent customers to arrange a betting ring. I haven't seen any profits but the Force is telling me something.'

He stopped massaging, her milky back fading to red along with everything in that room.

'He's doing what?'

'I don't know for certain,' She amended. 'But I feel the Force warning me.'

'Do you want me to do anything?' He had to lift his hand from her back to avoid snapping her spine. His fist shook in mid-air, his breathing churning the fire searing his chest.

'Yes,' She told him, facing forward. 'Keep massaging me, and let's go down to the beach when we're done here. I need some diversion from work.'

Ben called to the Force, begging it to flood his senses so that he could touch her without breaking her. He opened his hand, and pushed against her with his fingertips, the motion causing her to exhale a deep moan.

'I can do that,' He told her. 'And I have the perfect diversion, too.'

SWSWSW

Rey dressed in her white trousers, a beige fishnet tank top that she was certain was for men but she had purchased the day before regardless, and gauze and leather arm wraps. The women of the Cove liked wearing more revealing fashions, and the men didn't seem to notice, but Rey certainly did! She knew Ben would love it if she wore one of the leg revealing skirts, but she wasn't ready to be that naked in public, yet.

Ben wore his white shirt, (now a bit looser than when he first lent it to her) and an intact pair of black trousers. Over this, he threw on a fitted black jacket, fingerless gloves that looked more like leather loops around his fingers, and a necklace of a small hammered metal plate supported by metal balls. For Rey, he chose a lovely leather necklace supporting a hammered half-moon plate with a mother-of-pearl square dangling from it.

'Your jewellery is almost gone,' Rey observed, looking over the shelves, taking in the empty spaces where his beautiful pieces once resided.

'It's getting close to Announcement Day,' He told her, taking her hand. 'Jewellery is a big part of it, so everyone has to be ready for it.'

'So, you're a walking advertisement?' She asked, letting him pull her out of the house.

'Yes, and no,' He smiled to himself, looking at his necklace. 'I made it with my blood, sweat, and tears. I'm going to enjoy it for a minute.'

She giggled and leaned against his arm, prompting him to wrap it around her back and pull her close as they moved through the evening. They walked around the village to the Grotto, the clear evening promising a gorgeous sunset. In the low tide, a great plasma wall had been set up, allowing the Villagers to collect seashells on the wet ground as they entered the rocky cavern fitted with torches, fish and seaweed sending blue pulses against the wall as they touched it. The Grotto was a massive space, ordinarily accessible by boat only (Poe had told stories of Hivers getting stuck there when exhaustion overtook them). On nights like this one, the water was sucked out for dancing and other public events leaving a hard-packed mud floor and embedded seashells and rocks. Tonight, Ben lead Rey over the white spongey rock to a chiselled amphitheatre overlooking the mud open floor.

The evening was perfect through the natural arches, the oranges and twilight blues casting them and the others gathering in an exciting glow. On Naboo, they would have given anything to have decorated this perfect arch with foliage! Perhaps with little white flowers or even creeping coral roses. Rey looked up at Ben, smiling at him as he studied her, chin propped up by his palm.

'What is this?' She asked.

He turned to the centre ring, both noting how a Togruta Male and a Twi'lek woman entered the circle, either person glaring daggers at the other. Suddenly, they attacked one another, the Twi'lek woman scratching the man across the face with long nails that drew blood and he threw her down causing her head tails to bounce. At once, the audience roared, stomping and clapping in the stadium seats as the two clashed. He was no gentleman and she was no damsel, both drawing significant amounts of blood by the time King walked into the ring.

Ben turned back to Rey, a smile on his face that was concealed by his hand propping up his head.

'King needs a diversion to remain on top,' He shouted over the din. 'So, he offers this!'

'What is it?' Rey cried, watching the Twi'lek woman claw her way up an arch to better surprise the Togruta male.

'Mediation,' He answered, just as the Togruta grabbed the woman by the neck and slammed her into the mud. 'You can go to court where King's the judge and decides your fate. Or…' He gestured to the centre ring.

Pots were clanged, and the male stepped away from the woman, letting her sputter and breathe in front of him. King, dressed in an elaborate gold suit with a jacket that nearly fell to his ankles, marched up to them and lifted his arms, earning a shout of praise from the villagers. He pumped his arms, earning two more raucous shouts from the amphitheatre. Rey looked around, seeing the Blacksmith and his wife, along with the Harbour Master and his wife sit just as quietly as Ben and Rey, watching and waiting.

King lowered his arms slowly, bringing the noise level to almost a whisper. He scoffed, looking at the male.

'Did you forget the rules?' He asked. 'No fighting until I take my seat! Court favours the lady.'

The amphitheatre exploded! The Twi'lek woman raised her arms, gritting her teeth lined with blood with a tired victory. The male gnashed his teeth at King, but it was short lived as three burly men shot forward with rifles drawn, ready to protect their boss.

The male lifted his palms and backed away, shouting a curse at the woman who was lifted by a friend and limped out. King moved to a specific arch overlooking the amphitheatre and climbed it seating himself and placing his elbows on his knees, a woman around Rey's age climbing next to him and giving him an intimate kiss. He turned to the centre and waved a hand, signalling the next case.

At once, the Blacksmith stood, moving down to the centre where another man was making his way down, also shooting daggers at him.

Rey looked around watching the people look intently at the combatants. They were moths to a flame! Watching, gossiping, wearing their best casual clothes and a significant number wearing Ben's jewellery, they were absolutely drawn.

'I'm surprised there's no one betting on these things,' Rey told Ben, leaning close.

'Not allowed,' Ben told her.

She turned to him, his eyes hard. He shifted towards her, and rested one hand on her thigh, one hand on her lower back as he leaned into her ear.

'No one bets without King knowing about it. He gets a cut from everyone in the Village. The Tavern, the Laundress, the fishermen-'

'You?' Rey asked, barely turning her chin to him, eyes on King.

She heard him smile. 'No. I'm the only exception because he doesn't know who I am.' He leaned further into her ear, his lips tickling her as he breathed, 'He doesn't dare with me. He knows I've got the Force. He knows I'd kill him in under a minute.'

Rey couldn't help but smile. She turned to him, completely ignorant of the Blacksmith punching the man who accused him of giving him a faulty plough straight into next week. Ben was so completely different from Kylo! He was gentle, and listened to her, was even trusted among his peers. And yet, she couldn't help but feel the arousal in her stomach at the glimpse of Kylo still left in him.

She blushed and looked away, knowing she shouldn't encourage such arousal. He gripped her thigh, his other hand cupping her hip so much that she was suddenly aware of how close his hand was to her bottom. His onyx eyes held her, and his chin dropped, his eyebrow speaking his command as his eyes lowered to her lips.

And suddenly she was kissing him! She didn't care who saw them, and she didn't care if anyone approved or not. He slid his hand between her legs, fingers taut and breath steaming into her throat. She pulled away, resting her hand on his to keep him from going further although she greatly wanted him to. She watched him smile before opening his eyes, her lower lip curling back into her teeth as she studied him.

The Blacksmith shouted at the top of his lungs, bringing the crowd to their feet with deafening shouts. Ben and Rey glanced at the scene, and gasped when they saw his face completely drenched red and arms outstretched, shouting his victory. The accuser was dragged away, a small spout of blood shooting from his lips, and the Blacksmith staggered to his wife who waited with a clean cloth to wipe his face with.

Rey turned back to Ben, watching him lift himself to see if his friend was alright before turning back to her.

'Must we stay?' She asked softly, knowing that he could hear her.

His breathing stopped, and his eyes trailed from her face to her lips, to her legs pointed towards him. His eyes met hers and his breathing resumed. He took her hand and was beginning to stand when they heard a woman screech:

'ARTISAN!'

The entire amphitheatre turned towards them, Ben looking up with sheer confusion. The Laundress stood in the centre arena, her lovely face painted with sheer desperation.

'What now?' Ben grumbled, watching her come close to the amphitheatre.

Rey straightened, looking at the woman. Her face was red from crying, and her upper arms had the marks of someone who had gripped them harshly. She had been assaulted.

'Artisan!' The Laundress cried. 'Artisan, will you fight on my behalf? My ex-husband has returned for Edran and wants to take him from me!'

The crowd began to murmur, looking to one another as her eyes began leaking. What was he going to do?

Ben's eyes widened slightly, his grip on Rey's hand firming for a moment. He looked to the other side of the amphitheatre and saw a lean, dark-haired man with Edran's olive complexion stride forward, eyes locked on the voluptuous Laundress. At once, the Force called to Rey. This man was an immediate danger, one who respected no one and nothing. He wanted Edran to hurt his ex-wife. Ben turned away from the centre and looked at Rey.

'Should I?' He asked.

'Need a woman's permission to fight your battles?' King taunted, earning a laugh from his men and half the crowd.

Ben did nothing, he simply waited for her to speak.

Rey looked at her, at this woman's desperate face pleading for some sort of relief from this torment. Rey turned back to Ben, and nodded. 'For Edran,' She told him.

Ben lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles, then stood, the audience erupting in raucous cheering. He removed his jacket and handed it to Rey, taking the path that was cleared for him by the audience. Rey watched him, looking at his opponent. He shifted, grinding his teeth at the sight of Ben, measuring him with his eyes. He was no match! In stature and experience, Edran's father didn't have a prayer!

That was until the Force blew over them, causing Ben's and Rey's faces to turn to the opposite side where a creature darkened one of the high arches, and sea rocks not secured into the mud began to jump from the ground. The audience followed his gaze, their murmurs turning to surprised exclamations. The creature was nine feet tall with leathery skin fitted with spikes and splotched orange and white. It looked malnourished to Rey, but that didn't diminish its size or the scowl on its mouth filled with pointed teeth and beady black eyes.

Despite the creature's arrival and the nervous grumblings of the crowd, Rey smiled. She looked down at Ben, seeing him glance up at her, and he smirked, the one he reserved only for her.

'If my ex decides to have someone fight on her behalf,' Edran's Father shouted, turning towards King, 'I think it only fair that I get the same opportunity.'

King looked at the creature, then at Ben, rubbing a finger around his lips as he thought. He nodded, and lowered his hand. 'If both combatants are willing?'

The creature raised its arms above its head, and issued a wail that brought Rey's hands to her ears along with nearly everyone in the audience. The Grotto shook and even the fish poking at the plasma wall swam away. Ben, however, didn't flinch or do anything besides stare at it. The creature dropped his arms, the muted _thud! _echoing in the chamber. Ben turned to King, and lifted his chin.

'I'm willing.'

King nodded, leaning back with a triumphant grin. 'Although,' He acknowledged, cocking his head. 'There is a slight height disadvantage.' The audience chuckled. 'You may have your choice of weapon, Artisan.'

A lightsabre! What Rey would have given to have provided him with a lightsabre. To see his grace wielding the lighted sword around his body, to watch his fury be unleashed, the yearning clawed at her chest as though the creature was somehow inside of her. Ben turned towards the creature, watching it saunter into the arena and taking it in with a tilt of his head. He turned back to King and answered.

'A blaster.'

The audience recoiled, some laughing and calling out taunts over his decision.

'Looks like you're not going to get that wedding day, after all!' Someone shouted at Rey, making her recoil.

She shot him a look, remembering him as one of her tormentors at the Tavern. She shook her head and faced forward, watching Finn move forward with a blaster courtesy of the Blacksmith. Finn had a worried look when he looked up at the Creature, but one look at Ben and that worry went away. Rey shifted, feeling the Force nudge her to look at King.

King was watching Finn and Ben with the utmost intensity, then shifted his gaze to Rey. She set her jaw, and looked at the creature as it grunted and growled in front of him. There was no way that this creature could have gotten there without help. As malnourished as it appeared to be, it could not have lived in the Grotto; especially with how many times the Grotto was used. No, it needed to be transported here, meaning that Edran's father must have been a wealthy man, or he had to have had help. Given that he didn't care for his mute and very sensitive son, Edran's father had no reason to challenge his ex-wife for rights to his son. Which meant…

King turned his attention from Rey to the centre and nodded his head.

The creature thundered forward, claws digging into the mud and spraying the audience. Ben charged forth himself, slipping quickly around the massive fingers and slid under its belly. He whirled around and shot the creature's underbelly, eliciting a sharp wail. Rey knew that he hadn't drawn blood. Blasters that size were useless on a creature with that thick of skin. It did, however truly aggravate the creature!

The creature whirled around, slobbering and growling, a yowl ripping from its mouth that scraped against Rey's spine. Ben puffed his cheeks and let it out slowly, eyes calculating. The creature charged him again, this time hooking Ben's back by his shirt. He, however, wasn't deterred. He fired at the creature, hitting his elbow and shoulder joints, causing the creature to drop him suddenly.

Rey gasped, jumping to the edge of her seat and gripping his jacket in her hands. There was the opening! That was what he needed.

Ben rolled to his feet, firing perfectly behind the creature's knees and at its ankles. His aim was extraordinary! Hitting dead centre with each shot! The creature fell back, nearly smashing Ben into the mud and causing the first three rows of the amphitheatre to jolt straight up in their seats.

The creature writhed, disoriented as it's beady eyes scanned the ceiling. Ben huffed, and walked, unfazed around the flailing arms to the head, bent his knees, and fired into a small hole on the right side that served as the creature's ear. The creature jolted, it's beady eyes widening suddenly. Then, its claws fell into the mud, and its body slackened.

The crowd fell silent, shock ripping through them. Was it dead?

The Force screamed at Rey, shooting her hand out before her head could turn towards Edran's father. He tore a blaster from his trousers and fired off a shot at Ben's back, his face perfectly contorted with purple frustration and gritted teeth.

But the shot shivered in mid-air, and Edran's Father couldn't do anything more than breathe. Ben turned, still unfazed at the sight of the shot and the man who fired it.

Rey held Edran's Father and the blaster shot with the Force, her chin lowered. From the corner of her eye, she could see King bolt upright and look from the man to the crowd until he found her. She would have loved to have seen his face full-on, but she didn't want to risk letting the blaster shot go while Ben was still downrange.

Ben racked his arm back and propelled it into Edran's Father's face, sending him to the mud in a stone-cold heap. The crowd melted from their stupor, emitting an 'Oh!' and began cheering. Rey dropped her hand, releasing the blaster shot to go flying into the creature's shoulder, and exhaled.

King raised his hand, diminishing the crowd's fervour enough for him to announce, 'Custody remains with the mother!'

The Laundress jumped from her seat and bolted around the creature's body to nearly tackle Ben with both arms, pressing her lips to his as her body shivered.

Ben pushed her away, glaring at her as he walked away. Rey stood and manoeuvred her way to him, his crumpled jacket in her sore hand. His eyes locked onto hers, the hardness filling with enough playfulness for his hands to shoot out and grab her under her arms and crushed her into his chest, forcing her to wrap her arms around his neck with a smile.

The crowd cheered, the sound deafening in the echoing cavern. Ben set Rey down, their eyes not leaving the other once. His eyes studied her face, his body drawing her near with a hunger that Rey could almost taste. She bit her lip, letting it recede. She dropped her hands, and took his, pulling him away from the musicians popping out of nowhere and drenching the audience with heart-stopping drums and clanging cymbals.

The audience jumped up and began dancing around the body of the creature, not caring that it was once alive only moments before. Rey began leading Ben out of the Grotto, her eyes beckoning to him louder than the music, his core drawing her near.

His eyes lifted suddenly, and his arousal doused with a thrust of her arm into his body. Rey turned as much as his protective grip would let her, seeing King approach them, his Second Wife one step behind him.

'Who are you,' He said as soon as he came close enough to Rey. 'Who are you, Wanderer to use the Force like that?'

Ben moved his hand across her back, pulling her close and warning her against speaking.

'She's my girlfriend,' He growled. 'That's all you need to know.'

King looked at Ben, then turned back to Rey, ignoring him.

Rey, on the other hand, was drawn to King's chest. There, in a metal wire setting, was the pure crystal that he was offering for information on Ben. Standing there, having a chance to look at it, Rey could feel it pulse upon his chest, drawing her near. She pressed her cheek to Ben's chest, and pressed her lips shut. The moment she did it, she could feel his heart fluttering and knew it wasn't for her touch.

He was drawn to that crystal. It would power his next lightsabre!

'A lady doesn't kiss and tell,' She told King, taking Ben's hand.

With that, they both walked out of the Grotto, each holding the other's hand a bit tighter.

SWSWSW

The moment Rey opened her eyes that morning, she knew today was not going to be good, but it was going to be pivotal. She sat up slightly, but couldn't do much as Ben was asleep sprawled on top of her, his body completely slackened in comfort. She smiled, willing her happiness to sink in, recalling the night before and how his hot and desperate kisses almost lead to lovemaking. Almost.

But, she couldn't stay happy. The weight of his body on hers wasn't enough, and the memory of his kisses was not enough to ignore the gnawing feeling in her stomach that something was going to go very, very wrong today.

She turned her head towards the door and gasped.

'Ben,' She called, shaking his shoulder. 'Ben! I'm late for work!'

He exhaled, and shifted.

'Ben!' Rey urged, lifting her knee to better push him off her. 'Edran didn't wake us! I have to get to work.'

He rolled off her, wiping his face with his hand as Rey shot off the hammock. She dressed in her freshly laundered romper, and scooped her hair into her buns without thinking. She whirled back to him, feeling hesitant as he blinked himself awake.

'Come to the Tavern for lunch,' She told him. 'Ben, are you listening?'

'Lunch,' He grumbled, turning to look at her. 'Or brunch?'

She smiled, but it didn't remain. Quickly, she kissed him and dashed out the door. The sun was well in the sky, and Merchant's Village was packed more than usual. Or, like usual for someone who was already working and not trying to make it to her shift.

The moment she skidded into the Tavern, she felt it. There was a tension in the air that hadn't been there in weeks. One of the waitresses walked by her, and turned her head to show her wide, fearful eyes. Rey inhaled and rushed to the back, punching her timecard on the ancient holoscreen and grabbed a serving tray and order pad.

'You're late!' The Tavern Keeper hissed, barging into the back.

'I know!' Rey told him. 'Slept in, won't happen again.'

'It better not!' He snarled, stepping in front of her. 'The Omet Gang's back and I'm not putting any of my new girls with them.'

Ice tipped over Rey's body. The Force called to her, willing her to look at the situation. The Omet Gang arriving the day after she slighted King? After she'd shown the entire village what she was capable of? That wasn't a coincidence. Not by a long shot.

She inhaled and made her way to the dining room, seeing them clumped together in a particular section in the back. The moment one table saw her, they howled to their friends, until the entire tavern was turned towards her. Rey pasted on a smile, determined to roll with their humour.

'If it isn't our favourite barmaid?' One grinned, his crooked smile too wide.

'Hello, guys!' Rey called, stepping further into their circle. 'What can I get you to drink?'

She turned and saw a big man almost Ben's size, stand. The Force fluttered around her shoulders, willing her to be prepared for a fight.

'How about a kiss, Sweetheart?'

Immediately, Rey's foot moved behind the other, her knees dropping her into a fighting stance.

'Don't call me that.'

'It's good enough for your boyfriend,' He sneered, his eyes lingering on her breasts. 'Why can't I say it?'

'You're not my boyfriend,' Rey declared, 'You never will be.'

'So, give me a kiss,' He pressed, stepping forward. 'I'll show you what you're missing.'

'Kiss him!' Someone urged, causing the Omet Gang to bang their knuckles on the tables.

'No,' Rey growled. 'End of story.'

The Force commanded she stay still. She knew what would happen, she watched him turn back to his friends, winding his hand back. But Rey stood firm, hands on her sides. His hand swept around his body, moving so slowly she could have dodged it.

Rey staggered with the pain across her face, falling into the arms of a man who took the opportunity to spank her bottom. She wanted to wriggle out of his arms, wanted to kick him into the next parsec, but the Force drew her attention elsewhere.

The Tavern Keeper was behind the bar, taking bets of Kyber from patrons and handing them ready-made tokens carved from wood.

Rey was thrust back in front of the big man, who grinned with his chest puffed out further.

'How about that kiss?'

Again, the Force told her not to fight back. She shook her head and flexed her hands.

'No.'

SWSWSW

Ben felt it the moment he stepped off the hammock. Something was wrong, something… terrible. At once, the remnants of sleep left him and he strode to the locked chest of drawers. It was against the Warrior's Code to take another's weapon that was not entrusted to them. But, he knew as he pulled out that drawer and peered down at Rey's lightsabre, that this was needed.

_Ben!_

He whirled towards the shop door, inhaling deeply. She was calling him! Rey was calling him!

He grabbed the lightsabre, pulling it into its extended formation, and strode out his door. The moment he cleared the first shop, his chest tightened and he nearly doubled over. He pressed a hand to his chest and bolted, a clear line opening for him with audible gasps and shouts as he flew past.

SWSWSW

Rey's head was wrenched back, allowing her nose to bleed freely and her extended neck to inhale precious oxygen. Her body hurt, and she knew something was broken. Her arms were held up by two of the Omet Gang as her legs had given up.

The Big Man paced in front of her, stomping as he went.

'Why won't you fight?' He snarled, glaring at her. 'You kicked my ass the last time I was here! Why won't you fight back?'

Rey bit her lip to keep from shooting off an answer. It hurt them to beat a defenceless woman! Each of them was deeply disturbed by her non-action and each of them questioned continuing to torment her. Rey didn't care. She just wanted to know why the Force would command her to not fight back.

The Big Man returned to her and punched her stomach, knocking the wind out of her so that she squirmed, trying to get her lungs to breathe again. The men cheered, but this time it wasn't as loud, and the mirth had significantly drained. The Big Man grabbed her chin, squeezing it in his hand until she thought her jaw was going to become disjointed.

'Why, won't you fight?!'

She felt his presence like a tidal wave, rushing into the Tavern with feelings of highest concern. The next thing she saw was the shining yellow beam of her lightsabre twirling and slicing clean through the Big Man. Her arms were dropped and her body sagged to the wood floor.

'Rey!' Finn's voice called, his hands pulling her into his arms.

Her head lolled onto his forearms, pressure rushing into her forehead and throat. His face jolted with a pure shock when she looked up at him, his eyes wider than she'd seen it in years. With that look, she knew she couldn't lie to him anymore. This was bad! Finn looked up and curled his body suddenly over Rey's, the sight of a falling body cutting across the ceiling. Finn sat up and scooted the two of them under a table as best as he was able.

Rey turned her head as much as she could under his body, watching her lightsabre cut through the air.

He was graceful! Ben was so beautiful wielding her lightsabre, twirling it and cutting through the Omet Gang, dodging fists and kicking men falling over trying to avoid him. He stood in the centre of the Tavern, chest heaving and lightsabre humming in his hand.

'Artisan!' Finn called. 'She's not doing good.'

Ben rotated towards them, and deactivated the lightsabre. At once, Rey felt a shiver run through her body. She hadn't seen that face in a long, long time!

'Give her to me,' He growled, striding towards her.

His grip was gentle, but his touch was firm. Too firm for Ben. She was passed into his arms, but he didn't do anything more than glance over her, and press her lightsabre into her hands.

Rey looked up at him, watching his eyes twitch over her face, absorbing every drop of blood that seeped from her. He was angry. He was blindingly angry! But, at whom?

He scooped her into his arms, and stood, the open air under her sweating, bleeding body a welcome relief. She moved her head to face his chest, inhaling his musky scent, but he did nothing. He strode out of the Tavern, stepping over bodies, showing her the Tavern Keeper as he cried and moaned trying to remove a steel dagger from his hand that nailed him to the bar.

'Don't even think of leaving town!' Finn's voice shouted.

The Tavern Keeper responded with a grunt and more blood on his precious bar. Ben strode out of the tavern, the look on his face and Rey in his arms causing the entire village to stop and stare mid-purchase and mid-step. She clutched her lightsabre to her chest, a small part of her worried about them recognizing the crystal and wanting to take it. The Blacksmith ran up to Ben, but Finn stopped him, speaking quickly. Poe, on the other hand, skipped next to Ben, eyes wide and reaching a hand out to caress Rey's head.

'What the hell happened?' He demanded, moving extra quickly to keep up with Ben's long legs.

'She didn't fight back,' Ben growled through gritted teeth. 'The one time, she didn't fight!'

'The Force,' Rey gargled, the metallic taste in her mouth filling her throat. She shifted in his arms, prompting him to adjust and let her turn her head to vomit a stream of blood. She coughed, pushing out more red slime with her tongue. She gasped, and turned back to Ben.

He was disgusted. He was absolutely disgusted with what she had just done!

'Ben,' She sniffed, her eyes beginning to leak. 'Ben…'

He didn't look at her. He simply strode into his shop and laid her on the work table. She exhaled, blinking up at him, her lightsabre waving in her hand.

'Ben, please talk to me,' She whimpered.

He said nothing. He looked touched her side, sending a pain shooting up her shoulder so much that she cried out. He grabbed the front of her romper and ripped it in two pieces, pressing his hand to the hurt bit.

Rey winced, lifting a hand to cover her breasts.

'Don't move, don't move!' Finn cried, touching her hand. 'You have one nasty cut on your rib.'

'The rib is broken!' Poe corrected, flying to the table with a rag.

'Snapped and came back together,' Ben muttered, avoiding her gaze. 'She'll live.'

'Ben,' Rey cried, taking his hand. 'Say something to me!'

He looked at her, his eyes like black coals.

'What do you want me to say?' He demanded, voice barely above a whisper.

'This isn't like you,' She told him, his look and the breeze making her shiver. 'What did I do wrong?'

'Nothing,' He told her, grabbing the rag and pressing it to her side. 'You did…' He mashed his lips together, pressing harder than he should have to make her flinch. 'Why didn't you fight?' He snarled, looking down at her. 'Why the hell didn't you fight?!'

That was it! That was what she had done wrong! She hadn't fought back.

'The Force,' She told him. 'The Force told me not to fight.'

Ben's hand began to shake in hers. He said nothing, merely continued taking care of her.

'The Force?' Poe demanded, gawking at her. 'That's your excuse? The Force told you to get the crap beat out of you?'

'Get me some water,' Ben commanded, glaring at Poe. 'This cut needs to be cleaned.'

'Where's your sink?'

'Around the back.' Ben jerked his head out the forge door.

Finn took Poe's place, covering her other breast with the tatters of her romper. 'Are you alright?' He cooed, lifting her head and pressing a cup to her lips.

Rey lifted her head and drank, the cool water welcome down her metallic tasting throat. She pushed the cup away with her lips, and handed him her lightsabre. 'Please put this away.'

'Where?' Finn asked.

Ben lifted his hand asking for the lightsabre. He took it and turned to place it in the locked drawer.

'How're you feeling?' Finn asked.

'Humiliated,' She told him, then glanced at the back of Ben's head. 'Anxious.'

Finn looked up, watching Ben shove the drawer closed and move to his tactical cabinet.

'Did the Force really tell you to not fight back?' He whispered.

She nodded. 'One of the hardest tests I've ever had to endure.'

Finn half smiled, 'You sure about that?' He looked up at Ben.

Relief flooded her. This he understood!

'Why is he so quiet?' She whispered. 'Why won't he speak to me?'

Finn leaned close, the smell of sweat coming strongly from his neck.

'It's a guy thing. He's hurt. He's hurt that you were hurt and he couldn't do a thing about it. He's doing what he can to take care of you now. Just, let him be monosyllable. He'll talk when he's ready.'

Ben returned with a jar of bacta cream. He dug a finger into it and spread it gently on her cut. Rey bit her lip and tried not to wince but couldn't manage it. He flashed his eyes up at Finn as Poe entered the shop balancing a bowl of water.

Something exchanged between them. She could feel the Force telling her that something was said among the men that was to be kept from her.

'Rey!' Rose's voice cried. Rey turned her head and half-smiled at her as she appeared beside Ben, eyes widening. 'What the hell happened?'

'I didn't fight back,' Rey told her.

'The Tavern Keeper was taking bets,' Ben grumbled. 'She broke his ring by not fighting back.'

'Let me do that!' Rose insisted, taking the water dish and the sponge floating in it. 'You don't need to show her goods to the whole world just to fix a couple of cuts!'

'I'm going to get you more bacta spray,' Ben grunted, teeth still gritted.

Rey shot her hand out, grabbing his wrist. He was so tender the night before! So strong, so gentle! What happened?

'I'm sorry,' She murmured. 'I really am! But the Force… You-you know how it is!'

'Stop crying,' He commanded. Slowly, he stroked her hair, his hands soft for once. His eyes held no light in them, but his touch was wonderfully soft. He covered her lips with his, smoothing her swollen cheek with his thumb. 'I know exactly how it is.'

SWSWSW

Finn strode beside Kylo, Poe on his other side. The moment Merchant's Avenue saw the three of them stalking towards the Tavern, people scampered away and shops closed their business windows. Even the Blacksmith shut the door to his forge, his wife's eye poking through a hole in the door.

Outside of the Tavern, King leaned, tossing a lovely, pure white crystal into the air and catching it. For a moment, Finn thought Kylo was going to walk past him without a second glance. He stopped just in time, his look just as hard as when he wore a cape and carried a crimson lightsabre.

'You know he kept a betting ring?' King asked, jerking a thumb inside.

'She started suspecting yesterday,' Kylo answered. 'Didn't have proof, though.'

'No one keeps bets without me knowing,' King told him, slipping the crystal into his pocket. 'Your girl can keep the tavern when she's ready.'

'Good to know,' Kylo told him, turning towards the Tavern. He hesitated, then turned to Poe. 'Get the other side.' He turned to Finn, 'Watch the windows.'

Finn was at the windows before he realized it, watching Poe take his place on the other side. From where he stood, he could see the Tavern Keeper rushing around the back, waving a hand wrapped in gauze.

This was wrong! He could feel it in his gut that this was wrong, but he couldn't let this man get away with hurting Rey! He couldn't! What would Rey say if she knew what they were doing? What would happen if the Tavern Keeper wasn't stopped?

Kylo sauntered in, head turned towards the back. At once, he lifted a taut hand and a green bottle of expensive alcohol exploded on the wall. He barely twitched his thumb and forefinger and another bottle exploded, sending liquid over the bloody bar.

The Tavern Keeper rushed out from the back, nearly slipping on the blood and liquid as he tried to stop. He rushed behind the bar towards the other exit but Poe stomped forward, making the Tavern Keeper slip onto the floor. Kylo extended his hand and drew the Tavern Keeper to him with the Force, catching his neck with his giant paw. Kylo growled something too low for Finn to hear, but whatever it was made the man claw at Kylo's arm and his eyes extend.

Kylo was quick. He set the man down, whirled him close to his chest, then snapped his neck without a second thought. He watched the body fall, his shoulders rising and falling several times before he stepped over the body and made eye contact with Poe and Finn and jerked his head out the door.

Finn followed, ice settling in his chest. They passed the Blacksmith's shop, in time for the man to open the door and toss out a bottle of bacta spray that Kylo caught. It hit Finn halfway down Merchant's Avenue, seeing the eyes poke through cracks in their stalls.

Kylo hadn't died. He was simply dormant. He simply adjusted to a different war, a different need to rise on top.

_Please review!_


	13. Chapter 13

_NSFW warning. _

_I have had portions of this chapter written for a very long time and now I'm happy that I get to post it._

_As always, reviews are always welcome._

Chapter 13

Rose had helped Rey to the hammock and changed her into a white muslin nightgown the Laundress had brought by the time the men had returned. Rey took one look at Ben and knew he had done something. By the looks on Finn's and Poe's faces, it was bad, and there was nothing she could do about it but let him stroke her hair, and gently apply bacta spray.

Her rib was going to take some time to heal even with the amount of bacta that he was applying. Rey couldn't remember a time when she felt this horribly! Perhaps after he had died and she had to take that first shower after returning to the Resistance. She had let the water rush over her body, hands pushed against the wall of the temporary shower, hearing the muted jubilation of the Rebels over the sprinkling water. The loss of her dyad, the triumph of having defeated the Sith. The acceptance of her status as a Jedi. All of it had weighed on her so much that she had cried without making a sound, panted without feeling the breath. Now she rocked in the hammock, Ben sitting at her knees with his hand on her hip, his eyes diminishing from their hardness like iron melting in his forge.

'How're you feeling?' He cooed at one point.

She shifted towards him, sending a sore up her side. She gave a short huff and closed her eyes, 'Much better.'

'You look better,' He told her. 'Your face is yellowing.'

'Your eyes are softening,' Rey half-smiled.

His eyes trailed away from her face, and his fingers clenched on her stomach. 'You frightened me, Rey. Don't ever do that again.'

'Don't tell me what to do,' Rey scowled.

'Please don't do that again?' He amended, his tone the same.

Rey inhaled and let it out slowly, shifting at the feel of her sore throat. 'I won't do that again. I'm never setting foot into that tavern again.'

'But King gave it to you,' Ben told her, some of the light returning to his eyes.

'He what?' Rey cried, sitting up and ignoring the pain in her side.

Ben shifted his hand to help her sit up, careful with her broken rib. 'He gave you the tavern because the Tavern Keeper kept a betting ring without him knowing about it.'

'I don't want it,' Rey moaned, lowering herself back onto the hammock.

'Hey,' Poe's voice called. Rey turned seeing him poke his head through the reed curtain. 'You guys might want to keep it down, half the village keeps coming around for gossip.'

'Poe, do you want a tavern?' Rey asked.

'I don't not want a tavern,' He answered. 'Great place to hear the gossip but a lot of responsibility.'

'Give me three Kyber and it's yours.'

'How hard did they hit your head?'

'Not hard enough. Do you want it or not?'

He shoved his arm through the curtain, three jagged pieces of Kyber in his palm. 'First one's on me,' He grinned.

'Ben, could you…?'

The hammock swayed when he stood, and took the Kyber without flinching or making any sort of faces.

'I should go with you to claim the tavern,' Ben told him. 'King will be protective of the place.'

'Did someone pick up the bodies?'

Ben thought for a moment. 'No, not here. Down at the Hive, yes.'

'I could use a hand,' Poe asked.

Rey sat up, eyes flicking between the two.

Ben turned back to Rey, his face soft as his eyebrows lifted.

'Go,' She told him before he could ask. 'I'll be fine. I promise.'

'Supper's almost ready,' Rose's voice called from the forge door. 'Don't be too long, boys!'

'How hard did they hit me?' Rey murmured to herself.

Ben cocked an eyebrow, smirking at her. 'Just make sure they don't move my displays too much.'

'How much sand do you have on these shelves?' The Laundress's voice shouted from the shop.

Ben turned back to Rey, the look on his face making Poe snigger into the reed curtain.

'Please, don't ever get hurt again,' He hissed.

Rey giggled, but the spreading of her lips hurt her cheeks and she winced, pressing a hand to her face. Ben's eyes flashed a hardened blackness once again, but he turned away and followed Poe out of the shop.

As soon as they left, Finn poked his head in. 'How're you doing?'

'I'm going to be sore for a while,' She half-smiled.

Finn shuffled in, looking around the living quarters, his eyes taking in every bauble and possession shared by Ben and Rey. It was not his shining apartment, and the homemade cabinets and trinkets were far from his collectable art pieces. He looked down at Rey, and slipped his hands into his pockets.

'Do you love him?' He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

Rey lifted her hand and tucked it under her head. 'Yes. I really love him.'

'Why?' He asked. 'I need to know. Why him and not someone like me? Was it just because I didn't ask you out or, is it something else?'

'Where is this coming from?' Rey asked, her eyelids getting heavy. The swaying of the hammock was quite intoxicating!

He shifted, digging his boots into the swept dirt floor. 'If I'd said something sooner, then maybe we'd still be on Naboo. We might've even had a family and you would have had your beautiful Jedi Academy among the green and the flowers. Maybe, you wouldn't be here with your face smashed in.'

Rey sighed, and took her time closing and opening her eyes. 'You forget, I volunteered to escort you and Rose along the route. We would have ended up here and been in a bigger dilemma because I would have been married to you and yet in love with Ben.'

'So, always him?' Finn nodded, setting his jaw. 'Why?' He drew near to her and took out his hands from his pockets. 'Tell me, why him and not me?'

'Because I want him, and not you.'

He straightened, staring at her like she had slapped him.

She adjusted to look at him better, the rabbit fur perfect against her warm skin.

'Finn, you are perfect! You… either had a woman or did impeccable research to accommodate me in your home. You have waited for me despite not knowing if I'd ever come back. You've been my best friend through everything, watched my back even when I didn't want you to. You are perfect, Finn.'

'Then what the hell?' Finn demanded, straightening.

'I don't want you,' She told him. 'Not as a lover. Ben… he is my missing half. Quite literally, he is everything I'm not. He is my peace, he is my adventure, my creativity, my passion. He has so much more teeming beneath the surface. And I want to spend my life by his side exploring him and live with him.'

'And that makes him better than me?'

Rey sighed. This wasn't going to be an easy letdown. 'No, Finn. What makes him better is my choice.' She looked him in the eye, calling to the Force to make him feel her intensity as she said, 'I, choose, Ben.'

Finn bit the inside of his cheek and lowered his eyes to the ground. The Force told him that something within him had broken. He had waited for so long for a portrait of what was supposed to happen when she returned to him, and this was the final cut in that portrait.

'You chose wrong,' He told her, his voice cracking. 'You mark my words: you chose the wrong guy.'

'Maybe,' Rey sighed, her eyes closing. 'But it's my choice to make that mistake.'

SWSWSW

There was something incredibly disturbing about tossing pieces of bodies into the ocean. There was something even more unsettling when the partner helping one throwing said bodies into the ocean looked at them like nothing, handled them like nothing, and moved on to the next corpse like it was nothing.

Poe cocked his head to the right and chucked an arm into the ocean like it was a rock.

'Any chances of these guys families coming back to haunt us?'

Ben grunted as he kicked a head into the ocean and hurtled a lower half of a body by the ankle in.

'Nope!' He exhaled. 'These guys didn't have families. No wives, but plenty of children who curse their names so, no worries.'

'Good to know,' Poe replied.

They turned back to the tavern, seeing just one more body: the Big Man who had attacked Rey. There was a portion of Poe's brain that was shocked that Ben didn't cut him up slowly, but was glad he didn't have to clean up much more blood. Poe took the Big Man's legs and Ben his arms, each man taking his time with this last hurdle. Three swings and the Big Man flew into the surf with a noisy _whomp!_

At once, Ben exhaled and turned back to the tavern but Poe doubled over and rested his hands on his knees.

'Hang on, there!' He called, panting. 'Not all of us kept our war shape, big man!'

He could have sworn Ben chuckled, but he did lean against the wall to wait for him.

Poe huffed and sat up, cracking his back with a satisfied groan as he did so.

'You really love her, don't you?'

'Yes, I do.'

Poe turned to him. He was not handsome, so what did she see in him?! 'What happened?' Poe asked. 'Why did you come back from the dead?'

'I could never leave,' Ben told him, turning to the ocean floating with bodies. 'I couldn't leave Rey.' He swallowed, seeming to think of the right thing to say, then continued, 'The World Between Worlds was literally that: a place of waiting and understanding. I can't really explain it, but those who… became one with the Force,' He glanced at Poe, 'As I did, they… they could come back.'

'Could Leia come back?' Poe asked, a bubble of hope arising in his chest.

'No,' Ben told him, looking down. The bubble burst within Poe, but Ben… he seemed… sad! Like he wanted more time with his mother. 'No, my mother and Luke were different. I can't really explain it,' He shifted against the wall, turning more towards him. 'It's like… those who had lived their natural lives and became one with the Force, they couldn't return. But people like me… we _could_.'

Poe looked at Ben, the realization flooding him. 'There are others like you?'

'Not exactly like me, but… yes.'

Poe faced him, his mind racing. 'There's more Jedi.'

Ben nodded. 'Hundreds more. They're dying to find guidance in the Force and Rey only found one. _One_, Poe.'

'You got to get off this system,' Poe told him. 'You and Rey need to get off and go find them.'

Ben lowered his chin, and raised his eyebrow. 'Will you let me do that, General Dameron? Take the girl of our dreams and make a living in the Republic as Jedi?'

Poe shivered and looked away. Did he know? Had Rey told him what he had done to end their relationship? He took one look at the floating bodies and decided that she hadn't. There was no way Kylo/Ben would have let him live if he'd known. Well, if she hadn't said anything, he definitely wasn't going to!

'Rey and I… we didn't last.'

'What happened?'

More ice. Poe cocked his head, reverting to every interrogation technique to keep his cool as he could remember and blurted: 'I ruined it. She was just… being herself, and I…' He shook his head. 'You've treated her leagues better in the same amount of time as I had and I applaud you for that.'

Ben's face completely softened to the point that he almost blushed!

'It's easy with her,' He confessed. 'I just want… to be better when it's being better for her.'

'She becomes a different person with you,' Poe told him, placing a fist into his palm and popping his knuckles. 'She's happier. She's more attentive to the people around her.' He chuckled, feeling a sort of joyless mirth as he did so. 'She's like the sun. When she's happy, everything around her blooms. When she's pissed, though!'

'She'll burn you down,' Ben chuckled.

Poe's smile faded, and he set his jaw. 'Why did the Force keep her from fighting back?'

'It will be revealed in time,' Ben told him simply, like telling him he'd ordered them drinks at the bar.

'You really believe that?' Poe demanded, frowning.

'I have to,' Ben answered, looking at him. His eyes held a level of intensity that hadn't been there before. A wisdom of something beyond this world flowing over his shoulders and flicking Poe like a leaf on the wind. 'We are nothing if we do not obey the Force.'

'These guys could have killed her!' Poe cried, flinging his arm out to the ocean.

Ben smirked, and gave an almost condescending shake of the head. 'Is she dead? Why not?'

'Why not?' Poe asked, straightening. That… was a good question! How did he know to save her?

Ben straightened and moved towards him. 'I'll always hear her,' He declared, his voice barely above a whisper.

With that, he turned the corner, grabbing one last hand and chucking it into the ocean before taking a broom left from a hasty departure.

SWSWSW

Rey slept through the night and into the next day. What the bacta couldn't fix, sleep did. Each time she awoke, Ben was nearby; either making jewellery, or sleeping just off to the side of the hammock on a bedroll, or shaving in the broken mirror, he was near to Rey at all times. When she was ready to get up, her feet shot pains up her legs so much that Ben had to help her get up, then readjusted her to sit up as she swung and he examined her feet.

'Two things,' He announced, flicking his hair to get it out of his eyes. 'Your feet are _very_ swollen, and I'll bet you pulled muscles in your ankles.'

'What does that mean?' Rey winced, looking down at her bare feet. They were swollen! She might not even be able to put her shoes on!

'It means you're stuck here, sweetheart,' He half-smiled, rising to sit next to her and give her a forehead an intimate kiss.

Rey pressed her head against the hammock and sighed. He was kind enough to carry her outside to her usual barrel and talked to her while he forged his jewellery and swords. Rose came by every evening, checking on Rey and even bringing a packet of herbs from a local apothecary to help with the swelling in her feet and to help with healthy digestion (Rey didn't know why, but she drank them anyway). Poe was busy the moment he announced the tavern, renamed the _Captain's Canteen_, reopened two days after changing ownership and so stopped by in the mornings. Sometimes, when Ben and Rey were up late at the forge, he would drop off lomin ales and ask Rey about the running of the _Captain's Canteen._

Finn, was another story. He didn't come for nearly three days after the incident, and volunteered at the _Captain's Canteen_ when he left the Blacksmith's shop. When he did finally come, something weighed heavily on his shoulders so much that Rey got up and hobbled after him to ask.

Finn whirled on her, his face contorted with such a heartbreak that she couldn't name.

'I made a choice,' He told her. 'I'm living with it.'

'What did you do?' Rey breathed, reaching out a hand to steady herself on the wall of the shop.

'Nothing,' Finn told her. He looked down and huffed his shoulders before looking up at her. 'I did, nothing.'

He said nothing more, and he didn't look at her even when she pressed him further. He simply made sure that she was able to hobble back to the forge before walking away.

At night, Ben would caress Rey's arms, and kiss her neck, encouraging her to turn and slide her arms over his shoulders. His kiss had changed. He was more loving, and had a confident patience in his touch. He would seat her on his inside work-table, tilting his mouth upwards so that she could run her fingers through his hair and kiss him with as much gentle fervour as she pleased. They were walked in upon three times, once by a Glitterati woman who wanted a necklace like the one Rey had been seen wearing when she was a waitress, and the other two times by the Laundress who left right away the first time, and the second time watched with an increasing sadness that her 'chances' with the Artisan had officially ended.

Then, there was one night. Rey couldn't sleep and so gently descended upon Ben's chest as he slept on the floor. Gently, she leaned over him kissed his bare flesh. He always bathed before coming to bed, was always aware of making her feel uncomfortable and so the taste of his chest was of flavoured soap. Rey had intended to merely kiss his pectorals and rest her head upon his shoulder, hoping the closeness would draw her to sleep, but his hands came alive and his eyes opened to peer down at her, a smile jumping onto his face. His wide palm stroked her long mane, his forefinger tracing the dent in her back down to her bottom until he hooked her knee and pulled it over his waist so that she straddled him, her head pushing aside the empty hammock.

Rey traced his face with her forefinger, rounding his eyes, tipping his nose, and gently outlining his lips.

'I want you,' She whispered. 'Now.'

He smirked, the one he only reserved for her, and cupped the back of her head the same time their lips met. A fire erupted in Rey's core, melting all control she had over her limbs. She clung to him, adjusting her hips over him until he rested both hands on her hips and bottom and rotated her body from straddling him to lie beneath him, his body settling over hers and his hips finding the best position. Rey slid her hands to their waists, pushing at his sleeping trousers until his hands gripped her wrists and pinned them above her head. He wrenched his lips away, an insatiable hunger coating his face as he peered down at her, the muscle between his legs hardening as he took her in.

'No,' He breathed, his hips saying another thing.

'Yes,' Rey urged. Her nightgown had strings that could be tied in the front but had come undone. She pressed her back against the floor and shifted until her nightgown revealed a small breast, her nipple soft in the darkness. 'I want you to.'

With his free hand, he moved more of the nightgown away, staring at the nipple like a desert wanderer stumbling onto an oasis. He pressed his hand to her ribs, pushing the little brown spot upwards, and bowed his head, covering her flesh with his mouth. Nerves shot down Rey's stomach and she arched her back, offering him more. A breathy moan escaped her lips, and he shifted his hips over hers, his muscle pressing against her between portion. He wanted her! His body melted into hers and he wanted her!

But, he reared up again, his chest exaggerating his movement.

'No,' He repeated, his sharp exhale and inhale causing both of her nipples to harden. His eyes met hers, obsidian pits smouldering. 'You deserve better than a dirt floor.'

She let out a sharp exhale, her back deflating to the bedroll, and a tear dotting her eye as she willed her fire to douse its arousal.

His face shifted, his hunger falling to sadness. He could feel her disappointment, she knew he could. He kissed her throat and released her hands caressing her flesh as he did so. She wanted to push him off and crawl back into their comfortable hammock where she could cry herself to sleep… until his hand did something she hadn't quite expected. It pulled her nightgown over her stomach, and caressed the top hair of her between portion, gliding into her flower folds. Rey had just enough time to latch onto his shoulders before his finger entered her, sending her head back and a moan escaping from her lips.

She couldn't think straight! She could barely see straight what with her eyes wanting to roll back into her head as well as the awkward bedroll positioning that Ben had assembled on the floor. Ben huffed over her, his hot breath scalding her temple and shoulder, his muscle as firm as ever as it rubbed over her thigh in rhythm with his hand. Rey mashed her lips and hummed with his movement, trying not to scream, but there was no way to properly manage it! His nails dug into the delicate flower folds of her between portion, and juices flowed from her so that the thought of his hands that made beautiful jewellery and held her hand being submerged in such ooze made her want to cringe. But heaven help the poor sod who thought to make him stop!

'Two weeks,' He cooed. 'Give me two weeks to give you the proper night.'

She bit her lip, her knee rising to give him more movement within her.

'Give me two weeks,' He commanded, breathing directly into her ear. 'Give it to me!'

'Yes,' She whimpered, nails clawing his shoulders. 'I'll give you two weeks!'

He kissed her, his tongue pushing into her mouth. She wanted more! She wanted all of him, to satisfy his need and her longing, but he removed his hand and grabbed her knee, his fingers moist against her skin. He rubbed his muscle against her between space, the feel of the movement so natural, and yet guarded. She watched him move over her, saw his face contort with the sad reality of his own request to delay what they both wanted. He stopped, and nuzzled her nose with his until she closed the gap with her lips.

Two weeks. Two long, bloody, weeks!

SWSWSW

BB-8 rolled from one side of the room to the other, shooting out wires from his central core and lifting himself to the window. His beeps were quiet, the result of many agitated nights falling on deaf ears. He could see a lighthouse, and the figures of girls going in and out of it at various hours of the day, hours he could almost swear were the hours that the Republic sent out transmission reports for their trade routes. In a pirate system, those would be incredibly useful!

He rotated his head around at the sound of someone coming and he lowered himself to the stone floor, audio sensors straining to hear who was coming. The footsteps got louder, then receded without changing pace. BB-8 let out a low hoot of relief and rolled around the cell.

He needed to get to Rey! King had been so interested in her but BB-8 kept that information quiet. King saw right through it and his quiet insistence became increasingly more hostile, until BB-8 began spouting out as basic information as possible, matching what he knew Rey would reveal about herself should she be captured.

For some reason, King became even more interested in Rey as of late, even showing him a picture and wrap sheet of everything that was known about her. Thankfully, nothing had the word 'Jedi' scrawled on it, or the name 'Skywalker.' There was, however, a new addition to the wrap sheet, this time courtesy of BB-8: a member of the High Republic. It would take some time, and dedicated research, but it was not impossible for Rey's picture to be passed around Naboo and for someone to make a connection with her. From there, they would have Poe, even Finn. Eventually, they would have Rose, too!

He turned back to the window, and twitched. That crack hadn't been there moments before! He looked back at the locked door, then shot out his cables, his ball base weighing heavy against the crack. He would get out of here! For his friends, he would escape!

SWSWSW

Rey was done hiding as a Jedi. In the morning, she got up, dressed, and did laps around the village, then climbed the rock faces of the cove. After that, she meditated in the Force, making herself aware of every rock and seashell, feeling the grass wave against the breeze, and tasting the rotation of the tides as they ebbed and flowed around them. If anyone noticed her floating above the rock, no one said anything.

What was better, was Ben was going to the Force as well. She would meet him there, Rey sitting overlooking the ocean, Ben in his shop. They didn't do anything, one does not have much to do when they're in the Force other than feel and be one with it. But, being there with him, feeling his power and presence beside her in such a place as the Force, was so welcome!

When Rey went into the Force, she meditated. When Ben went, he did so to help his work. She could feel him take metal and bend it according to a will that could only be revealed through the power of the Force. That was how he learned patience, and developed a deeper understanding of seemingly mundane objects that made up his rustic jewellery. In the Force, everything had life, and everything could be manipulated with the right amount of training and pressure. That was how he became a master jeweller, and that was why he was the most popular merchant on the system. The gold masters and diamond shapers didn't have the Force. They had time and patience, but Ben's jewellery was more desired.

Ben watched her, too. He watched her without giving advice or criticism, and always respected her methods of keeping in shape. She knew that he, the more formally trained, must have had his fair share of small advice and techniques, but he offered none of it. He simply accepted her way of the Jedi and moved on.

After a week of implementing her new routine, Rey noticed that something was happening in the village. Crates of flowers were brought in, prompting the Needlers to collect the discarded ones and make dried bouquets or even potpourri strands as a means to make money. What was more, large orders of wood, meat, fish, and especially lomin ale were hauled in and stored with several merchants. Rey asked Poe, but all he did was shrug and say, 'Announcement Day and Announcement Day Eve.'

Of course Ben was no help as all he would do would smirk and lift two fingers.

Not even Rose knew what it was! All she said was that it was the highlight of the year and that she and Rey should get fitted for dresses according to their social status. So, with a handful of Kyber, Rey and Rose went to a Prolet dressmaker and stood with their arms propelled out while two women pressed measuring tapes to their legs and wrapped them around their hips and chests.

'We can ask somebody,' Rey told Rose upon leaving the dressmaker's shop, bulb of fruit in hand.

'We could,' Rose pondered. 'But, where's the fun in that?'

'What if it's some kind of human sacrificing ritual like on Ban'na'ateen?'

'I doubt your boyfriend would stay on this system if they had human sacrificing and I'm pretty sure something that messed up would have some sort of decoration.'

They both turned to the garlands of foliage dotted with little flowers being hung on the roof ledges of Merchants' Avenue. So far, no human bones…

Rey turned and stopped, her eyes catching something along the cliffside where she did her meditations. 'What are those?'

'They look like tents,' Rose answered, then took a bite out of her fruit bulb.

A shiver ran down Rey's spine when they saw four men carry what looked like a proper-sized, four-poster bed into one of the tents. 'What's with the beds?'

'Maybe they're for the Glitterati?'

Rey knew that wasn't the answer. It couldn't be! A smile spread across her cheeks and she bit into her fruit bulb. Proper beds…

SWSWSW

Finn set his hammer down and looked up, seeing the Blacksmith standing in the doorway of the forge.

'Still at it?' He asked.

'Just wanted to get a head start,' Finn lied.

'Set that aside, lad,' The Blacksmith commanded. 'All work stops from tonight to the day after tomorrow.'

'For the festival?' He asked, reaching for his flagon of water.

'Aye,' The Blacksmith grinned. 'Announcement Day and Eve. Be sure to wear your finest, and go get yourself a necklace. Men wear necklaces to the event. It's a thing.'

Finn took a hearty drink of his water and nodded. He could, ideally, wear a gold necklace from one of the Glitterati merchants. He would just have to spend all of his Kyber and have no hope of returning to the Republic any time soon. The alternative, one that he wasn't at all wanting to do, was go to Kylo and buy a necklace from him.

He didn't like Kylo's style of jewellery! He didn't like scrap upcycled into art! He wanted _art _art, real jewellery! Like on Naboo…

'Artisan will fix you with a good necklace,' The Blacksmith declared, cocking his head to the side. 'Yeah, he'll have one for you.'

'I'll go there as soon as I clean up here,' Finn grumbled, removing his gloves.

'Go now,' The Blacksmith commanded. 'While he still has stock left.'

Finn walked as slowly as possible towards Kylo's shop, mentally preparing himself to see Rey again. She had come around with Rose, showing him a fully healed face and rib, but it still wasn't an easy thing to see her especially after telling him about her choice. After telling him that there was nothing he could ever do that would ever measure up to that dormant nightmare.

He knocked on the doorframe of Kylo's shop, already finding Poe in there perusing the remaining necklaces.

'You got the message, too?' Poe half-smiled.

'Yup,' Finn scoffed. 'Necklaces are the thing.'

Kylo came in from the back, his body glistening with sweat as he held one metal necklace on a choker collar, and a sweat rag in the other.

'Can I help you?'

Poe turned, and shrugged. 'Need some bling. You know a guy?'

The man almost smiled! He shook his head and tossed the latest necklace onto his worktable, the clanging sound rattling the rickety window, and gestured to his shelves.

'What you see is what I've got.'

Four necklaces. That was all he had left including the one he had just thrown down. Finn turned and saw one piece that looked like it could be his style. It was bronze, and consisted of a wide collar that fastened with a small clasp in the back and had on the front a wrapped wire knot. It would complement his dress shirt, and was simple enough to not be completely revolted.

'What do you think?' Finn asked, lifting the piece.

'Not bad,' Poe told him, lifting a longer necklace with a pendant that looked like a silver kite and fitted with a shiny bronze chevron.

'That one will suit you,' Finn told him. He wasn't really sure, but it felt weird to be discussing jewellery. It just wasn't done on Naboo! Or well, at least not by him.

'Alright, how much?' Poe asked, lifting the necklace.

'Ten, each.' Kylo told them. 'And that's the my-girlfriend-knows-you discount.'

Finn had his money out before Poe could stutter. That didn't mean he didn't, it's just that Finn already knew that against this merchant, he wasn't going to win against any negotiation. Finn had just fastened the cold metal around his neck when heard a sharp,

'Oh my God!'

'What?' Finn demanded, frowning as he looked up.

Kylo said nothing. He simply stared, jaw slack, dark eyes wide, behind Finn.

Finn turned, his breath catching in his throat. 'Woah!'

Poe turned as well, emitting the same reaction at the sight of her.

Rey stood before them in a teal coloured dress with slits cut to her hips to reveal her toned legs and ankle boots, the halter top overlapping over her breasts in tight ribbons to expose a triangle of navel, leaving her arms virtually naked save for her arm cuff and leather bracers. She stood, face flushing with embarrassment and her hand moved behind her ear in sheer discomfort.

'This-this was the only pattern the dressmaker had,' She apologized, 'Like all that they had.'

The three men stared, words the farthest things from their reach.

'What?' Rey demanded, dropping her hands.

Kylo was the first and only person to move. His stride was longer, and his voice tender as he breathed, 'You look beautiful!'

A smile flashed across her face, but she looked away, the smile remaining. 'I'm nearly naked.'

Kylo reached out, and took her shoulders, his hands a gentle caress. She looked up at him, drawn to him, like the ocean to the moon.

'You look, beautiful.'

She paused, his words sinking in. Her hands floated to his waist, and her body gravitated towards him. 'Thank you,' She whispered.

'But you could use some jewellery,' He smirked, sliding his hands down her arms to take her hands. With a grin that could only be described as painted with pure joy and love, Kylo led her around Finn and Poe to a set locked drawers.

Poe shoved passed Finn, his footsteps loud against the dirt floor. Finn watched him go, but couldn't exactly leave the shop. He turned back to them, watching Kylo insert a key into the lock on the top drawer and open it. He withdrew a pair of simple bronze earrings that looked like chopsticks holding a single white pearl each. He looked up at Rey and caressed her ears, looking for piercings. Finding none, he reclaimed his hand, untied the hook wire and refashioned the hooks to hang behind her ears, leaving the ornaments to hang perfectly like ordinary earrings.

Next from the drawer, he pulled… Finn shook his head, and blinked. He pulled out a crown! A copper tiara made so simply of twists and turns and designed to rest under the hairline, across Rey's forehead in a beautiful spiralling 'v'. She gaped at it, admiring it in her hands before Kylo bade her turn around, his hands and the bright metal descending over her. He fastened it behind her, then released her hair from her iconic three bun hairstyle, taking the wavy chestnut locks and draping them over her shoulders.

And suddenly, Finn couldn't breathe! She looked at once so delicate and so confident she could have been a sculpture come to life! Her smile was what haunted him the most. He had never seen her smile like that, so warm, so delicate, and so darn happy! She was happy being dressed up by him! She was happy feeling his arms wrap around her waist, and feeling him kiss her bare shoulders!

'My queen,' He breathed in her ear. She turned to look at him, her eyes locked onto his. He smiled, the sight of which was hauntingly beautiful. 'Let me see you,' He begged.

The moment she turned away from Finn, he took a step back, then another, until her open back was far from him, and the sight of the doorframe and plaza filled with storefronts blocked his view of Ben's face swooping down to kiss the woman of their dreams.

SWSWSW

Rey fixed her hair in the broken mirror as Ben bathed. The crown he gave her was beautiful! A far cry from her mother's crown with its simplicity and lack of Kyber crystals, but still brought out her eyes and cheekbones, and brought out a colour in her face that she hadn't noticed before. She knew he wanted her hair down, but she couldn't stand leaving her hair untamed. Thankfully, the crown's secure chain linked across the back of her hair, providing her with a simple fix to her hair. She puffed the top scalp as best she could with regular pins. Then she twisted individual strands of the lower half of her hair and pinned them with two shiny bronze and sea glass hairpins that Ben had made for her.

By the time she had finished, Ben walked in wearing the same coloured teal as she did, only in a tight-fitting long sleeve shirt and matching trousers. He winked at her when he entered the back room, then opened a locked cabinet. She gasped, seeing the hooks of blasters, rifles, and his tactical armour. He moved the black tactical breastplate aside and grabbed a large muslin bag tied with a string. He untied it, and let the fabric descend.

Rey leaned to her left, trying to get a better view of the brown leather material in his hands. She didn't have to, she knew that, but it was still something she did. He loosened the side bindings and slipped the entire leather armour over his head and shoved his arms through it. One side of the armour overlapped bright reddish-brown plates secured with bronze studs. Before tightening the sides, he kicked at the muslin bag so that it flew up into the air and he caught it with one hand, withdrawing a brown cape from it.

He turned to Rey as the sheet fell to the dust, lifting it slightly, 'Can you help me?'

She was next to him before she knew it, taking the cloth into her hands. There were small buttons on his shoulder plates where the cape could be attached, making this armour strictly an ornamental piece to be worn for ceremonial occasions like tonight. As she fastened the button behind him, she asked, 'So, what is this festival?'

He inhaled deeply through the nose, hesitating before he spoke. 'Its… a wedding. Someone somewhere in the history of this place decided to get married the night before Announcement Day so that he and his bride could announce themselves the next day as a family. Then it became a thing until a couple wanted to get in on the wedding feast and so said they got married too. Now, weddings are held together on the same day. And anniversaries,' He added with a slight cock of the head.

'And, why are we going?' Rey asked, resting her hands on his waist.

He turned, peering down at her. He looked so handsome! He cut an imposing figure, standing there in his armour and cape that reminded her so much of their days during the war, but his look for her was completely soft, caring. His hands took hers, fingers sliding into the gaps of hers, and he smirked.

'Maybe I just wanted to see you in that dress,' He breathed.

'Maybe, you're up to something?' Rey grinned.

'Maybe,' He grinned. 'Maybe, I just want to give you nice things. Treat you like a queen.'

'I'm not a queen, Ben,' Rey told him.

He paused, studying her face before replying, 'You are to me.'

At once, her heart fluttered. She wanted to kiss him! To rifle through his hair, and let him caress her legs, but he was too made up to do so now. She would keep her fervour inside of her until she couldn't take it anymore. It was two weeks to the night she promised to wait…

Suddenly, he twitched to his armoury cabinet and made a slight noise before reaching in and taking a leather belt with a holster too small for him. 'I got this for you,' He told her. 'You can keep your lightsabre with you.'

She moved to the drawer and took her 'u' shaped lightsabre, then halted, looking down at the silver handle. She could feel Ben move closer to wrap the belt around her waist, but she turned, and stopped him with a look. She looked down at her lightsabre, then up at him.

Then she extended her arm, and held out her lightsabre to him.

Ben froze, eyes wide as he took in the motion. His eyes flicked back to her, some semblance of breath slipping into his chest.

Rey nodded, 'I trust you.'

He took the silver handle, extending it to staff formation. He took his time studying it, taking in each bolt, each twist of the metal. Rey felt a smile touch the corners of her lips, a joy surging through her as she studied him study the silver. He would know a lightsabre! He would know craftsmanship, and the feelings needed to make a lightsabre like this. He would know the Force humming through the weapon in his hands, and he would feel it's peace.

A smile spread across his features, and she could feel a hunger rip through his core. He wanted to ignite it once more! He wanted to wield it about him like an old friend. But, he straightened, and attached the lightsabre to his belt, the size of the handle barely an inconvenience against his tall frame. He finished tightening the side strings of his armour and dropped his hands.

'Ready?' He breathed, taking one last lingering sweep over her frame.

Rey grinned, and nodded. 'Yes.'

He held out his hand, his face light. Her hand slipped into his, fitting the curves and callouses of his flesh perfectly! He kissed her knuckles his eyes locked on hers.

She grinned, 'Let's go show the girls what they're missing.'

He chuckled, letting her lead him out of the shop.

Merchants' Avenue was completely closed to ordinary business, save the lomin ale brewer and several of the others who made foodstuffs specific for the festival. Dancers came out and performed on the streets and the rooftops, acrobats jumping from one side of the street to the other. The dancers played finger tambourines, and shook their hips in a dizzying display. On the water, ships chased one another in races, and down in the Grotto, Mediation was conducted with half of its usual audience. Villagers of the three classes streamed in and out of the avenue and the small plaza set up for this reason, every person there wearing white, teal, or gold according to their class.

Ben and Rey met up with Rose and Poe, Rose wearing the same exact dress as Rey, and Poe wearing a white long sleeve outfit embroidered with simple twine thread to appear as yellow on white.

'You look gorgeous!' Rose cried, rushing up to Rey.

'So do you!' Rey told her, hugging her. The dress was flattering on her curvy figure, and she wore a matching pair of simple bracelets Rey had once seen in Ben's shop.

'Where's Finn?' Rose asked, facing Rey.

'Right here,' Finn's voice called.

They turned, and the women gasped. He wore the same Prolet teal as the girls, except his shirt was embroidered in a spectacular gold thread.

'Who gave you that shirt?' Ben asked, his cape fluttering in the breeze.

'Blacksmith's Wife,' Finn answered, staring him straight in the eye. 'She's one hell of a sewer.'

Rey shivered as nerves surged from Ben's hand to hers. He shifted and looked at her, his eyes apologizing for the motion. He'd seen people hurt for less.

'Artie!'

Ben turned, the group seeing the Blacksmith and his wife walk towards him hand-in-hand. The Blacksmith wore the same reddish-brown armour, only without his cape. His wife, a wide, tawny-haired woman with red cheeks never seemed to stop smiling wore the same dress as Rey and Rose.

'Seen our delightful leader opening the festival this morning?' The Blacksmith asked, his grin more superficial than genuine.

'I had better things to do,' Ben grumbled.

'He made a lovely mention of you,' The Blacksmith told him, voice lowering as his chin turned to glare at a Glitterati woman wearing an off the shoulder gold dress came uncomfortably close to Poe in an attempt to tame a feline looking creature in her arms. The woman hurried off, her pet wiggling in her arms. As soon as she left, the Blacksmith turned back to him, 'That is, he mentioned a "Ben" who made jewellery.'

Ben made no emotion or sound, simply stared. But Rey knew his feelings. Rey looked at the Blacksmith's Wife, their eyes connecting. She was the real spy! She was the one who knew the gossip from every class!

'We mean nothing by tellin' ya,' The Blacksmith's Wife assured Rey, turning to look at Ben. 'King's got my name and what I'm wanted for. Don't wish that kind of slavery on anyone.'

'Aye, that's true,' The Blacksmith told him. 'So, if you've a mind to be leaving on a mission,' He stared at Ben, lowering his chin, 'I'll take you and whoever's with you as far as Mos Eisley.'

Ben and Rey looked at each other, knowing that their group was all but screaming at them. They would have to leave. Regardless of how much King knew or if he was simply guessing, they would have to leave.

Ben turned the same time Rey shot the Force to her trio, keeping them quiet.

'We'll take you up on that,' He told them. 'Soon as the festival's over.'

'Festival and a bit,' The Blacksmith corrected. 'Wife says he's brewing something. Knowing our fearless leader, there's school after the playtime.'

'My swords are ready,' Ben declared.

'And my armour is polished,' The Blacksmith grunted, slapping his ornamental armour. 'Enjoy your festival.'

'You too,' Ben murmured.

They walked off and Rey lifted her hand, prompting her trio to rush to them.

'We're leaving?' Poe demanded, eyes wide.

'Did you just use the Force on us?' Rose cried.

'What's going to happen?' Finn asked.

Ben and Rey shot each other a look, then Ben lifted a palm and tell them, 'We're not leaving. Stuff usually happens right after the festival, bad stuff that sets the pirates off for the rest of the year.'

'Not a coincidence?' Poe asked, lifting an eyebrow.

'Not on your life,' Ben scoffed. 'Be ready to leave in a month. At any time, one month from today.'

'How did they know your name?' Finn asked, taking a step closer.

Ben took one look at Rey, making her shrink and the butterflies biting her arms and stomach. 'Slip of the tongue?'

'Maybe,' She shivered, squeezing his hand.

He shrugged. 'It was going to happen someday. Especially when having people who know me around me all the time.'

She knew that if it had been any other person, they would have been in a pile of their own blood by the time it took for her smile to spread across her lips.

'I'm sorry,' She mouthed, the breath unable to come out of her throat.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. 'Let's enjoy the festival. Let's have one good night.'

'Did you use the Force on us?'

Rey turned to Rose, watching her seethe in front of her. 'Rose, I didn't know what you were going to say.'

'Don't ever, do that again!' She growled.

Rey dropped her grip on Ben's hand and confronted her, eyes unyielding, 'I will do what I must to keep you safe. Even if that means keeping you quiet!'

Rose's eyes narrowed, and she lifted her chin. 'Just so long as it doesn't get in the way of being with your boyfriend, that is.'

'Don't you throw that in my face,' Rey commanded. 'You'd do the same if Finn looked your way and you know it!'

Rose jolted back, her eyes wide. She shot a hand up to slap her but Finn caught it.

'I think we all need to calm down and go our separate ways,' Finn hissed looking between the two women.

'Agreed,' Rose grumbled, shoving past Rey with a look of indignance. Finn looked at Rey and shrugged, then followed after Rose.

Rey sighed, her eyes meeting Poe's. He scratched the back of his head and looked towards the _Captain's Canteen_. 'I got to get back to the _Canteen_,' He told them. 'We're open, today.'

'We'll be by in a bit,' Ben told him, nestling his hand on Rey's hip. 'Tell the boys to wait.'

'What boys and why will they be waiting?' Poe asked.

Ben smirked, 'Just tell them.'

Poe jerked his chin in a sort of uncertain nod, then headed the long way around the plaza to his new business.

Ben rubbed Rey's side, and turned to her. 'Are you alright?' He asked.

'She's just anxious,' Rey told him, turning to him. 'She wants to get home.'

'Is it your home?' Ben asked, brushing her jaw with his thumb. 'Naboo?'

'My home is with you,' She told him, nestling her hand on his chest. 'Wherever that may be.'

He smiled, toothy grin warming her. 'Come on,' He breathed, 'Let's go have some fun.'

He showed her the gaming tournaments; a game with a remote-controlled sphere that participants had to control while blindfolded to get through a collection of rings assembled at different heights; a tournament consisting only of Glitterati men where they played with sticks and a ball, scooping it up and launching it over a mowed grassy surface while other men tried to collect the ball with their sticks or knock the one man off his feet; there were games for children, games for only women, footraces for everyone, and plenty of food and drink to go around.

Ben bought Rey a fizzy cinnamon drink served in a bag with a straw, and Ben munched on a bag of snack cakes crusted in a buttery cinnamon powder. Rey didn't want to participate in any of the games, but simply watching them was pleasure enough! She sipped on her drink, turning her head occasionally for Ben to shove one of his precious snack cakes into her mouth and she would lift her drink to his lips for him to sip.

When he led her to the _Captain's Canteen_, she nearly choked on her drinks.

'Why is there a line?' She asked. 'Is Poe giving away free drinks?'

'Nope,' Ben smiled, detaching a leather bag from his belt. 'They're waiting for me.'

'For you?' She repeated, looking up at him.

Ben opened the bag and withdrew a handful of rings of various sizes and designs, all connected by a small wire to keep together men's and women's rings.

'Like I said,' He grinned. 'There's a wedding tonight.'

'Everyone's getting married?' She turned to the line, seeing all kinds of men lined up outside the door.

'No,' He told her. 'Some of them can't pay, others want anniversary rings, some can but won't like the selection, though really it's because they don't like the lady. Then some actually will pay and actually will get married.'

'And you get rich?' Rey smiled, watching him pour the rings back into the bag.

He smirked, the one he reserved only for her. 'Best sales night for me, sweetheart. Glitterati can try, but I sell out every year.'

Rey's eyes trailed to the bag. Of all the women he had prepared for, could there be one for her? Could there ever be a wedding for Ben Solo and Rey Skywalker?

When she looked up, he was looking at her with a look in his eye, much like the one he had when she first held her mother's crown. Like he knew that she would wonder about marriage, and he would have an answer…

'You can stay with me,' He told her. 'Or, you can go and see more of the festival.'

'I'll go with you,' She told him. 'I need to sit for a bit.'

SWSWSW

Rose sat on the cliffs near the tents, kicking her legs over the edge. Beside her, Finn did the same. The sun was beginning to set, the orange colour playing against the teal on their clothes and making his embroidery shine.

'Back on Haysian Minor, we didn't get sunsets like this,' Rose murmured. 'We were so polluted with First Order commands that we knew it was night because it was darker and it was the day because it was less dark.'

Finn reached out and took her hand. He always did that when she spoke of her homeworld. Rose continued:

'We couldn't speak back to the work bosses. If we spoke, we would be punished with beatings. Sometimes they would put us in the Hole. It was a pit each mine had that was just a straight drop without any light. It took the life out of some of us.'

'So that's why you didn't like it when Rey silenced you?' Finn asked. 'Reminded you of the work crews?'

Rose nodded. 'It took me years to speak out loud. Paige, she would always talk after dark. She would always encourage me to speak out. To…' She trailed off, emotion choking her words. She blinked slowly, squeezing a tear out from her eyes. 'Emissary of the Republic,' She breathed. 'Paige would be so shocked and so proud!'

'I'm proud,' Finn told her. 'I'm proud of the route you've taken. And this, this is only one sidetrack.' He lifted his hand and flicked it over the ocean.

'Why doesn't it feel that way?' Rose asked, butterflies tickling her stomach. 'Why does it feel like life and death?'

'Because it feels just like the war,' Finn told her. He chuckled, drawing her attention. 'It feels like Canto Bight all over again.'

She let out a small laugh. 'Except instead of a code breaker, we're trying to get Rey away from Kylo Ren.'

He stiffened and he turned back to the ocean. 'It's different for her, you know? We see things and we get attached based on what we see. Rey doesn't just see stuff, she feels it. Feels it like she's known it for years. Losing Kylo, was nothing. But losing Ben Solo…' He trailed off, looking over his shoulder, possibly for anyone who would spy on them. 'I didn't believe her at first. But, she loves him with a fifty-year love. She might have used this time getting to know him, but she's loved him for a lifetime.'

'You didn't want to believe it, you mean?' She asked. 'You wanted her to love you in time.'

Finn sighed, his face falling. 'She does, in her own way. But, it's nothing when he's around.'

'Can you forget her?' Rose asked. It was a long shot, but she was used to playing that game.

'No one forgets Rey,' Finn told her, looking at her. 'But, I could try to move on from something we never had.'

'We had something once,' Rose told him, remembering the Battle of Crait when he held her tight and watched as the medics patched her up. What was more, she remembered kissing him when she thought she would die. Her boldest act of that time. 'We could still have that,' She urged, willing him, begging him to look at her with the same ardour he had saved only for Rey.

Finn's eyes travelled from her eyes to her lips, then back again. He moistened his lips and looked away for a moment.

'Rose,' He began, 'It's going to take me some time to remember what it's like to look at another woman.'

It wasn't what she wanted to hear, few things ever were.

'Could you look my way?' Rose asked, her tears threatening to choke her. Don't! She thought, Don't you dare cry in front of him!

He squeezed her hand and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. 'That's the only way there is,' He grinned.

SWSWSW

In one hour, Ben cleared almost five hundred pieces of Kyber. He was a natural businessman who easily negotiated and renegotiated his wares for those unprepared for the festival. It also helped that Rey sat next to him in her revealing dress, making the men feel even more pressure to settle with Ben's price. When night fell, Ben had sold all of his rings, filling the bag they came in with the Kyber he had earned. When he tied it, he shot Rey a look, his voice coming to her through the Force.

For the Blacksmith, He said.

She smiled, and nodded. Good idea, She told him.

'Come on,' He told her, standing and holding out his hand. 'Twilight starts the wedding. We want good seats.'

When they walked out, they saw the dancers take their final bows and the musicians play their last note as the crowds clapped and headed towards the Grotto. They joined them, walking hand in hand and catching the intoxicating joy that the crowd exuded. At one point, Ben pulled at Rey's waist and kissed her deeply, holding her face against his. Rey laughed her lips away, losing herself in onyx cisterns.

In the Grotto, decorated with fishing nets, flower wreaths and bright seashells of coral pink, mother-of-pearl, and dried starfish, was a massive altar where King's seat was usually situated. Standing beneath it, however, was King who spoke with a boy and a girl about twenty years old each who shuffled with excitement as they waited for the audience to take their seats.

'Who are they,' Rey asked, leaning into Ben.

'They're the first couple to get married,' He told her. 'The boy was the first proposal of the season, it's a big honour.'

'What do they get for asking first?'

Ben shrugged. 'Nothing but the right to say, he asked first. He was the first to be sure that he wanted to get married.'

'And the last one?'

Ben smirked, 'He gets the right to say he got married, at last.'

Rey giggled, leaning her head onto his shoulder. 'Do you ever think of getting married, Ben?'

'I hadn't,' He confessed. 'Maybe, when I was a teenager, but that went away when I was…' He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing on her forehead, 'When I was him, it was the furthest thing from my mind. Until you.'

She lifted her head, the copper crown adjusting against her skin slightly as she looked at him. 'You thought about marrying me?'

'I have,' He corrected, his face light. 'It was my goal to marry you when I… when I could act like a husband. When I could not just provide, but take care of you. Make you want me without controlling you.'

'You never controlled me, Ben,' Rey half-smiled. 'You made it hard to choose sometimes, but you never controlled me.'

'You chose me,' Ben told her, then added softly, 'You want me.'

Cymbals clanged, interrupting their moment. King set his mallet down and clapped his hands once. 'Let us begin!' He called.

The audience roared with men and women in their finest clapping their hands, nearly all of them wearing Ben's jewellery.

The Bride and Groom faced each other, their wide smiles hurting Rey's cheeks as they joined hands and waited for King to speak. Rey turned back to Ben, seeing his eyes still studying her. He reached for his neck and withdrew a leather cord… two rings dangling from it. By the time he had finished untying the knot and dropped them into his palm, King declared the couple married.

'Rey,' Ben breathed as the crowd roared around them.

She clamped her hands to her lips, warm tears jumping out of her eyes.

'Will you marry me?'

She inhaled a shaky breath, her body alighting with electricity. Around them, several couples gasped and pointed, but they didn't matter. Ben watched her, his face so deliriously happy that they could have been back at his shop and he wouldn't have known the difference. She dropped her hands and covered the rings. Looking into his eyes, she nodded.

'Yes,' She cried. 'Yes!'

His hand shot out and grabbed the back of her neck. His kiss was perhaps the sweetest she had ever tasted! They kissed even through the second marriage and into the start of the third. From the depths of her mind, Rey remembered Exegol. She remembered the emptiness of feeling his tattered shirt in her hands, the scraping of her throat as she screamed his name. Now, he sat beside her, alive, with a name and reputation that he had made all on his own ready to be her husband.

They pulled away, moisture coming from his eyes as they did so, her face red and puffy. 'At last,' Rey breathed.

'At last,' He smiled.

They sat close together, watching the couples get married. Rey wanted to run and tell Finn, Rose, and Poe, but she didn't want to miss her opportunity to marry the man of her dreams. They would either be there and see her get married, or she would have to tell them about it later.

She looked at the ring, not wanting to put it on until it was time. Hers was thin, a streak of grey with what looked like a crushed Kyber crystal wedged between the blackened silver. The moment she touched it, she could feel the Force tell her that he took that crystal from her mother's crown. His was a normal men's ring, but carved into it was a star-filled in with the same crystal. She kissed his hand, her giddiness overflowing.

'Anyone else?' King called after the last couple skipped away.

'Right here,' Ben called, raising his hand.

At once, the audience cried out in celebration and surprise as Ben stood and helped Rey to her feet. She looked back, seeing Finn, Rose, and Poe sitting together, all staring at her with widened eyes. She nodded to them, her grin wide.

'Ho, ho,' King's voice commented, bringing Rey's attention to him. They had reached the altar, the eyes of the entire village focused on them. It didn't matter, because the one she cared for, the one she loved, was looking back at her with a face she would never forget: one that said, trust me from now until eternity.

'May I have your names?' King asked.

They both looked at him, ice flowing from one body to the other. Rey looked at Ben, and inhaled. At that moment, understanding touched them. They couldn't get married, here or any other system, without telling the truth.

'Ben Solo.'

Rey lifted her chin. 'Rey Skywalker.'

They could feel King's feelings as though he had spoken them. He knew the name of Skywalker! He knew the association, and soon he would know all about Ben, too. He nodded, and said:

'Let us begin.'

SWSWSW

Eight couples were married that Announcement Day Eve. Eight couples led by the first to be married, led the procession to the feast where they had special sofas and plates reserved for them. Around the plaza, tables with the most delicious smelling foodstuffs were assembled, foods that Rey never thought she would ever get to sample. Ben and Rey took their places at their bridal sofa, taking cups of a drink Ben warned her was strong if she wasn't used to it. It was sweet and tasted of fruit and bubbled into her nose if she held it for long enough, and her ring glittered marvellously holding the expensive glass cup.

As they sipped, the villagers formed a line and came around to congratulate them and give them marriage advice. The Blacksmith shook hands with Ben, congratulating him while the Blacksmith's Wife offered her support for anything Rey could need in their marriage. Rey thanked her and sat back down on the sofa, leaning into Ben as the next family came along.

Finn, Poe, and Rose shuffled close, Finn and Rose holding hands as they came.

'When did this happen?' Poe asked, his face flushed.

'Only just this evening,' Rey told him, leaning more into Ben.

'I surprised her,' Ben told them, looking at Rey. 'And I'm surprised she said yes.'

'Congratulations,' Finn told them, eyes lingering longest on Rey.

'Yes,' Rose added. 'Congratulations.'

Rey wanted to read the Force. She wanted to know what her friend was thinking to give her that good wish. But Ben rubbed her side and she smiled, letting them go.

'She loves you,' Ben whispered in her ear. 'You're no longer competition.'

She turned to him, her eyes taking in his closely shaved jaw, his black hair, and his plump lips. 'I never was,' She whispered. 'She just thought I was.'

He kissed her, rubbing her stomach until he found the small window to her navel.

The feast was served not long after, generous portions served to the bridal couples. Rey ate heartily, the spices coating her tongue in ways she hadn't thought possible for food! Ben ate as well, shooting glances at her as he did so. What was it that made them so giddy that they became like this? Was it love? It must have been! There was an even greater completeness within her at the thought that they were married.

Rey Skywalker Solo!

She rested on the sofa back and sighed, Ben leaning his head onto her lap and peering back at her.

'What are you thinking of, my queen?'

She caressed his hair, her belly absolutely full.

'I get to spend my whole life with you.'

'Is that a gift or a curse?'

She giggled. 'A treasure,' She answered.

He lifted his hand and cupped her face, stroking the corner of her mouth with his thumb. 'Just wait until tonight,' He assured her. 'My queen shall have a proper wedding night.'

She smiled, an excited shiver running through her. 'I just hope I can make you feel like a king.'

'You already have,' He breathed, studying her face.

She would have kissed him, but the musicians came out, banging loud drums and tooting sharp flutes. Ben sat up just as the couples began stirring.

'Already?' He smiled, glancing at Rey.

'What is this?' Rey asked, looking at him then at the couples as they started to rise.

Ben smiled to himself and stood, holding his hand out for Rey to take. She took it and followed him. 'It's a thing the couples do before they are dismissed to,' He lifted his eyebrows suggestively with a smile. 'It's a blessing. Come on, you're needed.'

'Why me?' Rey asked, panic tightening her chest.

'You're the bride,' Ben told her simply, kissing her temple. 'It's alright, you're just going to put your hands in the water and do what the other brides do.'

Rey was about to ask, 'Into what?' when a giant bowl of flower petals was carried in by six men and placed in the middle of the plaza platform. The brides walked up the platform and began circling the bowl, grinning at each other as it was filled with water from women carrying clay pitchers. Rey looked at the women, shooting a glance at Ben who stood with other grooms, watching them all clap to the beat of the drums.

'Artisan's Wife,' A bride called, making Rey turn. 'We're going to put our hands in and at the stop of the drums, we're going to throw them up in the air, scattering petals everywhere!'

'Why?' Rey asked, smiling and peering into the bowl of flower petals. She was the Artisan's Wife now!

'No one remembers,' She answered. 'But it's fun to see who throws the highest petals!'

'Ready girls!' Another bride called, looking to the brides on her left and right.

The brides nodded their willingness. Then, as a group, they dipped their hands in, the water warm and the petals soft. Around them, the drums began drumming faster, their hearts galloping with the beat. Rey squished the petals in her hands, committing to memory this strange tradition.

The drums stopped, and in an exhilarating rush, the brides launched their hands from the water with a chorus of squeals, spraying the front of their gowns with perfumed water and flower petals. Rey laughed, her crown warmed by her skin cooling with the water.

One bride moved to the edge of the platform and jumped into her husband's arms, another doing the same in a similar fashion. Rey turned around and saw Ben approach, his face light and smiling. Two steps, that was all it took for her to bolt from her spot and land in his arms, the Force keeping him from falling back. He twirled her, lost in delirious joy with her that the galaxy faded away, leaving just the two of them.

Rey righted herself, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

'One dance,' She murmured. 'Just give me one dance with you and we'll go.'

'Whatever you want, my queen.'

SWSWSW

Along the cliffside, resting peacefully in the dark, were eight modest tents protecting luxurious double wide beds. Given by the village as a gift for the new couples, they were decorated with every sort of good luck and fertility charm from various worlds. Within the tents, the married couples consummated their new marriages, however, the moans of one particular couple rang out over the crashing waves, the bride crying out in such a triumphant screech that Ben and Rey could do nothing but stare at the tent wall and try to stifle their laughter.

Ben dared to look at Rey, his eyes glittering in the dim lamplight. She giggled, the sound muted against the sound of the waves. It didn't matter, he could feel the sound of her happiness to his core. He reached out, and brushed her chin with his thumb. Her laughter ceased, and her eyes, oh her eyes melted into a copper hearth fire that beckoned him forward. He kissed her, closing his eyes to savour her lips, her hands gliding over his neck to pull him closer so that she could give him more. He rested his hand above her knee, his thumb caressing her bare thigh. She did nothing but tilt her head to the right and open her lips wider, giving him permission to continue. His hand slid closer to her waist, pushing the fabric of her dress aside. She stopped kissing him the moment he brushed her between portion.

She felt him pause in wait, letting her respond to his touch. He had already removed his cape and armour, the first things to be removed so that he was ready to be comfortable with the love of his life. Still kissing him, she lowered her hands, her fingers electric currents as they moved down his chest to nestle on his thighs, smoothing the area from his hips to his knees and back again. When she returned her hands to his hips, she stopped kissing him to watch her fingers slip under his teal shirt, bringing the fabric slowly over her hands until she had to turn them to lift the garment over his head. The moment she tossed aside the shirt, his hands were upon her, his lips covering hers.

Ben tilted Rey back almost completely on the bed, holding her in such an embrace to allow a hand to stroke her from thigh to breast to neck then back the way they came, his head tilting from one side to the other, the sounds of her breath and their lips clicking against each other muting the sounds of the waves. Her breathing increased, pulsing hot blood from one limb to the other. Rey let him caress her body as she caressed his bare chest and hips, her thoughts far from this parsec. He caressed her legs, feeling her muscles, reaching for her in between portion and fumbling trying to figure out how to remove her dress. She rested a hand on his chest and pulled her lips away, watching his eyes flutter open. Slowly, she reached behind her neck, and unbuttoned the disguised fastenings that she had been warned would be tricky to remove.

He stopped, and sputtered the moment the linen fell away from her breasts. He had seen naked women before, surely! But the sight of her… the sight of such soft mounds that only he could touch! Her soft brown nipples, her milky white stomach carved with muscle. Quickly, Rey stood and shimmied the dress down over her hips, the tricky ocean wind somehow blowing over her bare body, making her goosebumps and nipples firm up.

Ben licked his lips, then stood from the bed in front of her, his onyx eyes taking in her every inch. Slowly, he unfastened his trousers, kicking off his boots before sliding off the last of his clothes. Rey swallowed, looking him over, noting his every muscle, his every curve, and the black hair that grew where she didn't expect it. He wasn't chiselled like men liked to imagine themselves to be. His stomach while having defined abs, was more rounded, the sign of a true fighter and not a pretty model. A smile spread across her face as her eyes trailed to his. He was so vulnerable in this moment! So open! And for no one else but her.

Her fingers reached out before she could think to tell them what to do. She touched his pectoral muscles first, familiar territory. With her forefinger nail, she traced his light coloured nipples, savouring the way they hardened at her touch. He did nothing, simply watched her. She slid her hands slowly to his hips, moving over to his thighs and daring even to touch the muscle hanging in between nestled in fuzz. His hands reached out to her waist, smoothing over her hips and buttocks, a well-placed finger brushing her hair, the rest tickling her stomach until his hand nestled between her breasts, pausing only to hear her heartbeat quicken at the feel of his fingers spreading to take in the uneven surface. Rey moved her hand to rest over his heart, feeling it beat the same excited patter as her own, almost exactly as her own.

And suddenly, she was kissing him, and he was kissing her. She felt their universe converge perfectly the moment her back touched the bed. She knew that he felt it, too by the way he positioned them to lie in comfort, his knees encouraging her legs to separate. She simply knew that this was as it should be! For the first time in her life, the galaxy spun to their own orbit and no one else's. He lifted his upper body and, looking down at her, held his breath and thrust his hips into her, sending a searing pain into her core that caused her to arch her back and cry out. At once, he tilted her head forward until his eyes found her, worry etched in each ring of onyx. She swallowed, and nodded, encouraging him.

It hurt! Each time he thrust, there was an agonizing wail to accompany it. She gripped his biceps, whimpering even as her nails dug into his muscle. Just when she thought she was going to have to tell him something, Rey shifted her hips and something… opened, and her body understood what it was to do. She turned her chin and kissed Ben's face as it moved over her, running her hands into his hair, whispering into his ear encouraging him to continue his movement. He smiled, then took his time to kiss her throat, and to press his lips to one breast then the other, regarding her nipples as treasures to be delicately wrought by tender lips and his tongue. Only when he was satisfied with the taste of salt upon her, did his vibrating pulses begin again, finding a rhythm that allowed him to look up and watch her react. Rey inhaled deeply and fell back onto the pillow, the sheer bliss of her heart and his body pulsing inside of her such a sensation never held before by anyone alive!

He returned to her lips and she smiled up at him, her face so bright he knew that she was in what pleasure was supposed to be! This was right! This moment here with her, this was love that he never thought was possible to receive. The sound of her moans filled his ears so that he closed his eyes and listened to them, knowing that she was completely satisfied by him, and pleased with his actions.

Her grin widened, and she wrapped her legs around his before pushing him over onto his side, then onto his back. She adjusted her hips, finding a better position for the flower folds of her between portion, noting and admiring just how connected their hips were. Ben laid before her, mashing his lips as though it was all he could do to keep from singing his joy. She bit her lip, causing him to chuckle, then moved her hips in a rhythmic motion, sending his hair flying back onto the pillow, a deep sigh emitting from his core. She did it again and again, unfiltered ecstasy searing through her as much as him. His hands gripped the sheets, fighting fists rendered useless for a woman half his size moving on top of him. She spread her fingers out over his chest, feeling his muscles as he breathed before her, and kissed his ribs, covering his nipples with her mouth, and making sure to stare down into his onyx eyes as she cried out into his mouth. He unclenched his fists and slid them up her calves and over her hips, his own jutting out to meet her movement.

Rey reared back, eyes gazing up at the tent ceiling, her hands propping herself on his thighs as they both shifted, enjoying a dance made only for them. Ben leaned forward and wrapped his hands under her arms, pulling her chest to him and kissing it so tenderly that the pleasurable agony that surged through them heightened, quickened. Rey turned to look at him, copper meeting onyx, both sets pleading for more, her eyes shuddering as she moved in an increasing wave motion. Ben rolled her over, gripping one of her knees and thrusting her so vigorously, so decisively, that Rey couldn't help but grab the headrest behind them and urge him on, waiting, feeling, gripping flesh, wood, and cloth.

They both cried out, an explosion of pleasure rattling through their thoughts. Ben shuddered to a stop, sweat beginning to dot his forehead, and streams coming over Rey's neck. She shot a hand back and gripped the pillow, a perfect moan escaping her lips. He seized her jaw and covered her lips with his, his thrust coming in gentle pulses of the hips until it seemed like his muscle spat inside of her. Rey didn't care at that moment. She simply brushed her tongue against his, tasting salt and wine, letting his hands fall upon her breasts as his head nestled onto the hollow her throat, his muscle losing its firmness within her. She kissed his forehead, rustling his raven hair.

'I think,' She panted, 'We are no longer virgins.'

His laugh rattled over her body, his chuckles exhausted breaths. 'And to think,' He panted, 'I could have missed doing this with you.'

Rey swallowed. She was thirsty! 'Promise me, Ben,' She gasped, 'Promise me that you won't leave me. Everyone I've ever loved has left me, please, promise me that you won't leave me, too.'

Ben lifted his head, the spot on her neck at once cooling, and he kissed her, deeply and with such passion she thought they were about to make love once again. He wrenched his lips away and panted for a moment, taking her in.

'I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart,' He breathed. He covered her nipple with his mouth, closing his eyes against the sweet taste as she cupped his scalp as he did so. He lifted his head, kissing her wrist as he looked down at her. 'I'm not having anyone else in my life, and I'm far from done with you tonight.'

Rey threw her head back and laughed, her barely cooling body vibrating with the action. Ben's laugh was deep, but the light in his face so welcome! Rey couldn't help but reach up and kiss him, her hands stroking his back as his hands stroked her side, the couple losing themselves in the ecstasy of barriers broken, and hearts united at long last.

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	14. Chapter 14

_NSFW warning._

_Yup, the muse has struck. We're in the endgame now, readers!_

_So, a review or two would be nice... *wink, wink*_

Chapter 14

Poe yawned as he closed the _Captain's Canteen_, taking one last glance to make sure that none of the hardcore partygoers had stowed away behind the bar or under the tables. He had run out of lomin ale, and had started to sell his more expensive liquor at a cheaper rate until the Blacksmith's Wife pointed out that he would, eventually have to reopen after Announcement Day and he couldn't buy or sell during the holiday. He had resorted to selling his tables for their seating ability, charging one Kyber a person, but that only worked until one of King's agents came in and announced that it was now one hour past midnight and merchants not dedicated to the festival were to close for Announcement Day.

Having cleaned up and locked up, Poe made his way through the not-as-crowded village to his houseboat. Apparently, the houseboat came with the drinking establishment, though, by the amount of mess and overall litter, the previous owner hadn't seen it that way. Tonight, Poe didn't care. He was far too exhausted to care and when he tripped and fell face-first onto the deck, he almost rested his head and fell asleep.

That was, if a small, agitated whistling hadn't called out to him.

Poe lifted his head, eyes scanning the surface of his boat.

'Beebee Ate?' He called.

The whistling sounded again, this time pulling Poe to his feet so that he scrambled over the deck and down below. His heart jolted at the familiar sight of BB-8's lights in the dark, and his white ball base almost glowing in the dim.

'Buddy!' Poe cried, rushing forward.

BB-8 squealed, rolling forward with a series of elated beeps that somehow translated to he was glad he found the right boat.

'I'm so glad you're here!' Poe told him, rubbing his ball base, 'You made it!'

Barely, the droid beeped. Poe, I have a lot we need to talk about. There's a lot that's happened. Where is Rey?

'Funny story, bud,' Poe told him. 'Rey just got married. A lot's happened over here, too!'

Married? BB-8 hooted. To who? Finn?

'Not to Finn,' Poe told him. 'That's part of the long story.'

BB-8 issued a series of agitated beeps and he rolled closer to Poe.

I need to speak to Rey! It's urgent! Kylo Ren is here and so is-

'Yeah, we know about Kylo,' Poe interrupted. 'He's a friend, now. He and Rey… just got married.'

BB-8 almost bounced back with a sharp whistle.

What?!

'Like I said, a lot has happened.'

Does she know about the Sith?

Poe felt his stomach drop at the word. 'The what?' He demanded.

BB-8 rolled close, revealing his ball base to be significantly scratched and smelling of seaweed. Had he swum over here? Could he do that?

The Sith, BB-8 beeped, the sound shaking throughout the boathouse. Just on the other side of the Cove! There is what looks like a temple and devotees in them. Their markings match those of the Sith!

It took a matter of minutes to prepare the houseboat for sailing. While he ran around, BB-8 told him about how he had been lured away by King and kept safe so long as he pretended to give him valuable information about Rey and the rest. King, however, had more resources than perhaps even Ben knew of and the first time one of BB-8's diversions was proven false, King locked him away in a Glitterati home used for interrogations and imprisonments. BB-8 was stored in the basement where he was able to use his weight to pull down an old window and (as Poe had suspected) floated with the tide, hiding from King until he found the houseboat and hoped against hope that it was the same one that he'd seen Poe inhabiting.

Poe pulled the boat away from the Cove, his eyes floating to the cliffside tents where he knew Rey and Ben had gone to. He had wanted to dance with her, just one dance! One last opportunity to say goodbye, but she only danced with her new husband before he took her away from him. He shook his head, and returned to the ocean, keeping to the sandbar lest one of the giant grouper fish take him as a challenge.

'Alright Beebee Ate, tell me where,' Poe called over his shoulder, rushing to the steering wheel.

Beyond the Cove, BB-8 told him. Beyond the big houses.

The Glitterati houses were dazzling to watch at night! Poe had come out on all night fishing missions and looked up to see them. It reminded him of Yavin 4 from the sky, all lit up with torches and reflective panelling to shine through the thick trees. These were just as lovely, but the trees were ornamental or had fruit or flowers as wide as BB-8 growing on them. Yavin 4 was an untamed beauty, green and willing to protect and hide its inhabitants. The only way to hide around here was in the ocean, and he wasn't a Gungan.

BB-8 zinged, beeping suddenly. They had already passed the Grotto and the Smuggler's Hole where Poe had often found desperate Hivers on homemade boats crashed as they tried finding Kyber or shellfish for eating.

'I don't see anything,' Poe told him.

They've covered the entrance, BB-8 told him. But they're there during the ordinary nights. Right there!

BB-8 lowered his head to point at a rocky outcropping, covered with ivy.

Poe bolted below decks, grabbed his newly inherited binocs, and rushed back upstairs. He flicked the night vision switch and pressed them to his eyes. An icy hand twisted his innards, and he zoomed in to make sure.

There, carved into the rock and hiding beneath the swaying ivy, were carvings of Sith words. Poe couldn't claim to know the language, but he wasn't going to forget the sight of those markings on the Sith dagger that led them to that barren wasteland known as Exegol.

That was where I was kept, BB-8 chirped, his sound shaking.

Poe turned the binocs to the house, and gasped.

'That's King's house,' Poe breathed. 'His Second Wife has the place to the left of it.'

I don't think King is a Sith, BB-8 whistled. A disciple, maybe. But not a Sith.

'Nah, I don't think so either,' Poe agreed. 'Otherwise, Rey would've sensed it.'

What are we going to do? BB-8 asked, turning his head towards him.

Immediately, Ben's warning rang in Poe's ears. There was going to be trouble, and be ready to leave at anytime one month from now.

'We're going to keep you hidden,' Poe told him, lowering the binocs and casting a look down at him. 'You're not the most inconspicuous droid.'

You kiss your girlfriend with that beard?

Poe lifted a hand and stroked the stubble on his chin. 'Ladies like my beard, I'll have you know.'

Blind ones, maybe.

SWSWSW

Rose stroked Finn's hair as he slept on her legs. She had lost all feeling in them sometime around four in the morning and so didn't care if he slept on or didn't. The Blacksmith's house was locked for the night and Finn didn't want to go back to the shop where the forge had been doused for only the second time that year and so they first sat down on the steps leading up to the Girls' Dorm, then fell asleep on them watching the revellers get drunker and stupider by the hour until they too collapsed in various spots and snored into the dawn.

Rose rested her head against the stone wall, smiling. She'd found some fun the night before with Finn, playing several of the games and dancing with both Finn, Poe, and a good-looking boy who blushed and said nothing the entire time. The foods they were served weren't exactly the best, especially with the memory of Naboo and the private chefs from the galaxy descending to serve her and her guests for Senate Sessions and banquets and balls. But, they were a far cry from what she had been getting, and she was thankful for it. Rose didn't want to think of Rey, but she knew that she would not forget this night or the sight of her as the most beautiful bride among the bunch. Nor could she forget Ben and his face as he looked with his new wife in his arms.

Kylo Ren was dead. Ben Solo killed him and presented his head for his bride.

A little boy dashed from the Girls' Dorm, bright blue eyes wide with fear. Rose knew this boy, he belonged to the Laundress, the one who liked to sit in Ben's outdoor shop. What was his name again? Edgar? Adrian?

He turned to Rose and gasped, his little frame straightening.

'Good morning,' Rose murmured, her throat dry.

He pressed a finger to his lips, shushing her with his wide, watery eyes.

Rose sat up as best she could, frowning. He was afraid. He was legitimately afraid. Of what? Should she be frightened, too?

He rushed towards her, and took her hand, yanking on her hand with all his might.

'Wait!' Rose told him, unceremoniously shoving Finn off her legs and earning for it the pins and needles sensation. 'Ow!' Rose winced, doing her best to hobble to her feet to follow him.

He was desperate! He grunted at her, shooting glances over his shoulder and pulling her to the street then in the direction of Ben's shop.

'What is it?' Rose asked, looking up down the street for what could alarm this little boy so much.

Again, he pressed a finger to his lips, his desperate grunts softening, though his desperation didn't recede.

Then, Rose saw it. Inside Ben's shop, someone was moving quickly. She frowned. Were they back already? They had been given a honeymoon tent (she'd been given that answer with a lot of suggestive sniggering from the villagers) and would be served their breakfast later, (more suggestive comments filled her memory). The sun had barely risen, and they were early risers…

The boy raised a finger and pointed, his grunts turning to whimpers. This boy, this sensitive little boy who looked at Ben's shop as a sanctuary was suddenly afraid of the wooden shack. Rose leaned her head forward, squinting to try and find the source of the rustling.

Her eyes widened, and she scooped the boy around his stomach and carried him, wriggling and whimpering, bolting to hide behind a Needler's hovel. King and another man emerged from the shop, King holding a small black leather book. They looked around, eyes darting for anything moving. Rose yanked the boy back behind the hovel, her lips pressing together.

After some time, she looked around the corner, and saw both men passing the Girls' Dorm, bidding Finn a good morning.

'Come on!' Rose urged, rushing to the shop, eyes scanning the place to see if there were any booby traps lain in their departure. The little boy walked around the forge side, turning his head from left to right.

Rose looked into the shop herself. Ben was meticulous in his manner of order, almost obsessive even! Most people didn't see it, but Rose had when she and the Laundress were taking care of Rey and Ben during Rey's recovery. The Laundress with the help of her son pointed out everything that was to be arranged, and when they came back the next day, it looked almost as if he had taken a straight piece of wood and straightened everything they had done. Looking around now, everything was almost three to four inches off, with some things turned around completely.

'Alright, big guy,' Rose told him, leaning down to look him in the eye. 'We're going to set everything right, and when we're done, you're going to let me know what was missing, okay?'

The little boy nodded his head vigorously, and turned immediately to the boxes of scrap under the work table and set it perfectly straight.

SWSWSW

Rey's entire body was sore! She awoke, exhausted to her marrow: her thighs ached and were streaked with ooze and dried blood, her arms held the same weariness as when she would lift rocks for exercise and went for too long. Her back ached and her lower back screamed! Her lips were swollen and when she licked them, she couldn't taste her own flavour.

Yet, she smiled wide, and turned to her left. Ben blinked into the morning, seeming to count the stitches on the tent roof, his breathing coming slow, and silent. One of his arms held up her neck and clutched her close, his other arm propping up the pillow beneath his head.

She moved the sheet covering her breasts so that she could turn and glide her knee over his waist, resting her head on the tender part of his armpit and her hand between his pectorals. Had he slept? She doubted it! He moved his hands and covered her hip and her hand on his chest.

They knew the other was awake, but neither wanted to speak. They could feel something surge around them, something greater than the realization of their Force bond and the acceptance of their dyad connection. Marriage, a partnership meant to be unbreakable; malleable to every situation. Others saw it as a piece of paper, an archaic practice that held a different meaning depending on the alien race. But to Rey and Ben, it was more than that! They could feel it to be more than the petty outlooks of others.

This was unbreakable!

The tinkling of a bell shook outside, it's muffled sound going almost unnoticed. It trilled louder, someone coming closer. The Force zinged around Rey, telling her that it was a group of people arriving with breakfast baskets and fresh water for baths.

Ben shifted, moving to get up, but Rey held him down. Despite her aches and pains, Rey arose from the bed and walked with the sheet wrapped around her body and waited for the bell to ring in front of their tent. She looked back at him, watching him turn onto his side and prop his head on his knuckles, studying her, committing her figure to memory. The muffled sound of shuffling and sloshing was heard, and Rey could smell the intoxicating lure of fried sausages. The bell trilled loudly next to her head, and the soft murmurs of men and women caught on the wind as they moved to the next tent.

Rey moved the tent flap aside and poked her head out, her hair catching in the sea breeze. Outside the entrance were a picnic basket and a large bucket of water swimming with rose petals and a wide sponge. Rey moved back in and tied a large knot in the sheet and moved back out, taking the gifts and setting them on a small wooden table for two. Ben rose from the bed, and set the water bucket down, behind the table and wrapped his arms around her waist as she distributed ready-made meal boxes to the two-place settings and poured out a flagon of juice into two mother-of-pearl cups.

'Good morning,' He whispered, his voice groggy.

Rey smiled, and turned around, letting the loose sheet fall from her shoulders.

'Good morning,' She smiled between kissing him.

He kissed her, but didn't attempt to do anything further as they were both still too exhausted from the night's -and morning's- activities.

Together, they took their breakfast, their movement slow, but their chatter animated. When they finished eating, they moved their simple stool chairs to behind the bed where their chamber pots could be found as well as a wet mat and small bathing tub to stand in.

Ben wanted Rey to go first, looking over her body with the same ecstatic hunger as he had during the night, but she shook her head and commanded he stand first in the tub. The water was warm when she took the sponge and squeezed out the perfumed, soapy water. Slowly, she bathed him, running the porous sponge over his arms, noting his elevated blue veins. Over his chest to his stomach to his waist, admiring how his hips made a 'v' shape. She was gentle with the muscle between his legs, watching his eyes close for a moment as she did so, and turned him to squeeze more water onto his back, washing his shoulders, buttocks, and legs. When she was done, he took the sponge, and looked her up and down with a small nibble of his lip.

'Don't you make me even dirtier, Ben Solo,' She teased.

'Wouldn't dream of it, Mrs. Solo,' He chuckled.

He dripped perfumed water over her arm, thumb rubbing her new ring. Slowly, he sponged one arm, then moved to her shoulders and sponged the other. She inhaled and held her hair in a quick twist above her head, feeling the sponge trail down her back and over her buttocks, the heat of his breath warming her. He turned her, and he dipped the sponge back in the bucket. He stood, and squeezed the sponge over her collarbone, smiling as he watched her body shimmer. He sponged her breasts, washing away the night's kisses. He took a knee in front of her, his onyx eyes glittering as he lifted her foot and settled it on his raised knee. Butterflies erupted in her stomach, how often was this going to happen?! She rested her head on his scalp, balancing herself as he scrubbed away the ooze and blood from her between portion first on the left side, then the right. With a gentle kiss on her knee, he set her foot down and tossed the sponge into the bucket.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, then with the other scooped her up across his chest and carried her back to the bed, setting her down before handing her her dress. They kissed, her hands running into his hair and his over her back. She could have pulled him onto her, making love once more before emerging for Announcement Day.

But, there was something to kissing him and knowing that they could come together whenever they wanted at another time, because they could. So, they released the other's lips, stood, and dressed in their wedding clothes.

'So, what's Announcement Day?' Rey asked, combing out her hair with a small driftwood comb.

'Essentially tax collection day,' Ben told her, fastening his armour. 'It just means a lot more because pirate crews can be claimed as family, along with men and their wives.'

'Can the wives own property here?'

Ben chuckled, and finished his final tie.

'Women, are the only ones who can _own_ property,' He told her. 'Pirates leave and die all the time. Women are the ones who usually remain behind. Why do you think the Laundress hasn't remarried? And why there's a Girls' Dorm bigger and more permanent than the Boys'?'

Rey set her comb down, and picked up her crown. She turned to Ben, a thought dawning on her.

'I own your shop?'

He cocked his head to the right and exhaled slowly.

'That's going to be… a _thing_, today.' He took his cape and folded it quickly, setting it down on the made-up bed. 'See, my crew, the one who intercepted your ship, the lead pirate's wife owned their properties. My shop, was not on any claimed property. But, they paid for my rent every year to have me on their crew. There's a fee for joining pirate crews and most new pirates pay it back by working. With me, it was my rent. Here today, King's Second Wife is going to demand you buy the shop at whatever price she sees fit,' He shot her a warning look. 'While King's First Wife is going to argue that I have more than contributed to the quality of life here in the Cove and the price has been paid in full.'

'And King?'

Another exhale, a longer pause.

'Whatever King's wives decide, he will retaliate against. The problem is, he's sitting on a fuel tank. He's not popular anymore, and several of the key captains have had enough of his rule.'

'And he has leverage on everyone?' Rey asked. 'Perfect little spider, isn't he?'

'Meticulous,' Ben commented. 'But, his First Wife's spoken out against him enough to make the captains think that if King and his Second Wife were gone, then things might be fairer for them.' He came closer, his face hardening with worry. 'She's not my mother. The Cove could suffer if she's not careful.'

'Would she have the captains' support?' Rey asked, looking down at her copper crown.

'If they don't push her out,' He replied softly.

Rey sighed. Pirates were a complex group of people! All according to the whims of their feelings and weight of their bounties, there was no peace among them except for the understandings to withhold their knives until they knew who the clear alpha was. No wonder Ben had first been drawn to this place! It was just enough chaos to be back at war, but peaceful enough to progress himself.

'So, what do you want me to do?' Rey asked, holding up her crown for him to fasten behind her head.

He took the crown, the shimmering metal lifting over her eyes and pressing onto her skin. It was cold, but that didn't matter. She'd warm it soon with her body heat.

'I want you to offer to buy the place,' He cooed in her ear. 'We might be leaving, but I don't want them to know that. I can leave it to the Laundress and she can rent it out to someone, or save it for Edran.'

Rey turned, meeting his eyes. 'Want me to convince her?'

'If you can,' He breathed. 'They already know you're strong in the Force. With any luck, they won't say anything and we can come back here,' He smiled, eyes glittering, 'Maybe take a nap before the evening feast?'

Rey giggled, doing her best to blink away her fatigue. A nap was quite welcome right about now!

They walked hand-in-hand down to the village, doing their best to stifle their laughter as the loud couple from the night before resumed their consummating in the same noisy manner.

Ben shook his head, 'They're going to be in so much trouble if they miss paying up.'

'What will happen?' Rey asked.

'They will miss the opportunity to get a home together. They'll have to stay at one of their parents' houses which won't be good if they're Needlers. One of them will probably have to join a pirate crew, putting them in more debt.'

'And danger,' Rey reminded him. Of the seven others who got married that night, Ben was the only formidable man she would want on any sort of action crew as the others were far too attuned to village work than space travel, or pirating.

Ben cocked his head towards her in thought. 'Well, they wouldn't be first off the ship if they're first-timers. Unless they were annoying or if they had a particular trait the crew needed. Doubt it for this lot, though.' He looked around at the tents, 'Wouldn't have any man here beside me with you waiting for me, no way.'

'And what makes you think I wouldn't be beside you for a mission?' Rey asked, lifting an eyebrow at him.

He pulled her close and kissed her temple and crown.

'Spouses aren't taken on missions, around here. Get too emotional. They're better motivated to return home, apparently.'

'The wives get emotional or the husbands?' Rey smiled.

Ben chuckled, and said nothing.

When they arrived at the village, something had changed. A tightness hung over the villagers so much so, that the dancers danced with less fervour and the musicians played with eyes darting over their instruments. Dozens shuffled about in tense spirals, nodding to their neighbours but saying little.

'Is it always like this?' Rey murmured to her husband, eyes on the crowds.

'No,' Ben grumbled, his tone low. 'Something's happened.'

From the thickened crowd, Rose pushed through holding Edran's hand, Finn on their heels. One look at her and Rey knew she was the reason the villagers were worried, one call to the Force, and she could feel that something incredibly bad had happened.

'Rey! Ben!' Rose cried.

Edran moaned and threw his arms around Ben's waist, his whimpering soft as his arms were tight.

'What is it?' Ben asked, releasing Rey to hold Edran.

'I saw King and another man leaving your place,' Rose told them, looking from one to the other.

'What?' Rey cried.

'What did they take?' Ben demanded, wincing as Edran tried to close his hands around Ben's waist.

'Nothing!' Rose told them. 'Edran and I went in and set the place straight, but I couldn't see that they took anything. All your jewellery was there, all the scraps. Edran found your Kyber and everything that had a lock on it stayed locked. But Edran…' She looked down at him. 'He's trying to tell me something but I don't know what it is.'

Ben shot a look at Rey before turning to the little boy trying to absorb himself into his stomach.

'Hey,' He cooed, taking his arms and muscling him away, taking a knee to look him in the eye. 'Edran,' He hissed, still fighting with the boy as he tried to clamp onto Ben's neck. 'Stop it! Look at me, look at me!'

Edran stopped his squirming and looked into his face, his lower lip wobbling.

'What did they take?' Ben murmured. 'That's our shop, you know that. You know everything in there. What did they take?'

Edran said nothing. His wobbling lip wobbled more, and his whimpering grew louder, drawing the attention of the villagers around them. Rey watched him, watched as Ben exuded his best patience for this special little boy who saw him as a father figure, a safe refuge. Edran was speaking, unfortunately, it was a language none of them spoke.

'Ben,' Rey whispered, kneeling next to him.

He gave her his ear, lowering Edran's hands as fat tears began rolling down his olive cheeks.

'Ben, use the Force.'

He huffed, his eye meeting hers for a moment. Ben pulled him closer, almost brushing his nose. Gently, he lifted a hand and hovered it over Edran's forehead, and lowered his chin.

Edran let out a squeak and his eyes widened, looking around in slow rotation as Ben searched through his memories. Rey remembered this all too well. He had been gentle with her, seeing and feeling so much of her former life on Jakku and picking out key moments to taunt her with. Poe had worse recollections of the same action, having once told Rey about feeling the full extent of Kylo Ren's rage and impatience trying to find BB-8. Now, as he knelt before Edran, Rey could feel the true extent of his metamorphosis. He searched his memory not with claws, but with feathers, merely tickling him.

Ben lowered his hand and nodded to Edran, giving him a soft smile.

'Thank you, buddy.'

Edran threw his arms around Ben's neck, his whimpers returning.

Ben held him tight and stood, lifting the small frame as he rose. Rey stood with him, their watching crowd resuming their mindless shuffle. Though not all of them moved away. Ben turned to Rey, the look on his face sending shivers down her spine. He detached her lightsabre from his belt and handed it to her, his jaw setting as he reclaimed his hand.

'We need to find his mother,' He told her, his tone not leaving room for argument.

'What did they take?' Rey asked, her voice barely audible.

'My book,' He answered, his eyes hardening. 'The one where I wrote down my return from the World Between Worlds. He didn't take one thing, he took everything.'

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	15. Chapter 15

_Almost there!_

_Please review!_

Chapter 15

Ben strode to the Laundress, Edran hanging from his neck like a Quarren Squid Head. She was emerging from her little shack, having seen him come from down the street. He had given Rey his entire bag of Kyber from the night before and a rough kiss before departing. The Laundress, breath-taking in her simple white dress, rushed towards him, her eyes on Edran as her arms shot forward.

'I heard!' She cried. 'I heard about what he did to you!'

Ben tried handing the boy to his mother, but Edran was frightened. He quivered at the thought of being separated from his favourite person, or worse, the thought that Ben would be hurt if his protective arms let go.

'Edran,' His mother cooed, doing her best to pry his fingers apart, 'Come on, honey! Let him go!'

Ben had no patience today. Rey could handle any situation, he knew that, but the memory of her beaten body would be ripe in King's Wives' minds. He used the Force and gently applied it to Edran's hands, causing the boy to fall into his mother's arms.

'Tell him to take you to Pearl Cave,' Ben ordered. 'He knows the way. Go there and stay there until nightfall, understand?'

The Laundress nodded, even as Edran looked up in pure wonderment as to what pried off his fingers.

With that, Ben rounded his heel and strode towards his shop. King had taken his book! He had written so much of his memories in that thing, so many intimate details of his return to the living from the World Between Worlds! Conversations with the Jedi Who Came Before to include his grandfather and mother. His yearnings to be with Rey, his heart-breaking decision to cut himself off from the Force to better himself for her! Ben had been meaning to show it to Rey, but there hadn't been a right time for such a meaningful thing. She had either been too exhausted from working at the tavern, or something had come up and he had always assured himself that there would be time to show it to her later.

Now, it appeared that the day had arrived on someone else's terms.

He walked through the door of his house shop and looked around. The last place he'd kept his book was beneath the work table, slid into a leather bag that he'd nailed under the main surface. He knew of cleverer hiding places, but he had been using it almost daily at one time that it was not only inconvenient, but was too conspicuous to bury it and rebury it almost every evening. It was easier to shove it under his work table to grab it later.

He didn't check to see if it was there. What he wanted to do, was overturn the table and beat himself raw for having been so stupid! How could he? How _could _he?! He rushed around the table towards his tactical cabinet, mentally taking stock of his supply of swords and blasters. There was going to be a fight! For even thinking of touching that sacred book, there was going to be hell to pay!

Ben froze the moment his hand neared the cabinet handle. A feeling lurched in his stomach, gently brushing against his shoulders. He turned towards the forge entrance, the Force calling to him. He moved to the forge workshop, his eyes settling on his metal tools. He had doused his forge according to the rules of Announcement Day, meaning that if he lit it this moment, he wouldn't have it hot enough to make or melt anything for hours, possibly even unto the next morning. The Force wasn't calling him to the forge, though, but rather to a wooden box with a lid where he kept his sword handles.

He took the box, his mind immediately recollecting the contents. Six good handles, and one annoying piece of copper that had refused to come together no matter how he had worked it. He unlocked the box and tilted back the lid (he should have put his book in this box seeing as they hadn't dared to break or pick his locks). At once, the Force called to him, the wind rustling through his hair like Rey's fingers had that dawn. He gasped, lifting his chin.

The reason that handle hadn't worked, was because this handle was to be prepared for a lightsabre, and not a sword! Ben took the crude handle and immediately grabbed a set of pliers and a wrench. He worked quickly, letting the Force flow over his hands to shape the handle.

The last time he'd done this, a blinding fury coated his senses. The Darkness had caused him to crack his lightsabre crystal, but it had been perfectly done so that the handle suddenly made sense to have two exhaust vents, creating a new symbol of his reign, one that had defined him, and solidified his legacy as the heir to Darth Vader.

He was not that man anymore. He was Ben Solo, husband of Jedi Master Rey Solo, a respected member of the Cove. Rebel Leader of the Courkrus Revolt.

The Force told him to set his pliers down. He obeyed, setting his tools down with a soft _thud _and lifted the handle. The breath caught in his throat as his eyes swept his craftsmanship. It was a crossguard hilt, the copper promising to give him a unique colour once he added the crystal, and was more than fairly made. He had certainly become a better swordsmith having hammered out so many metal swords. Rey's lightsabre could turn into a quarterstaff sabre as well as a regular lightsabre, with the ability to scissor and disassemble at whim. It defined her perfectly as a Jedi when she showed it to the villagers. This one would set him apart, define him as his own person while still being one with her.

Ben hooked the skeleton handle to his belt, strode into his shop, and grabbed the leather belt he'd gotten for Rey. There was going to be bloodshed by the end of the day. He didn't need the Force to tell him that. But, as he felt the soft leather in his hands, he knew that he would need the Force to help him keep his temper controlled, and his sight clear. He had come so far from that blinding raging monster that hunted and stalked Rey. He couldn't lose it now!

SWSWSW

Rose watched beside Poe, Finn, and Rey as King moved to the plaza, setting one foot in front of the other in a slow waddling pattern, Ben's black book propped open in his hands, his chin turning from left to right as he read page after page. He was so confident in his manner, so just darn arrogant that he could walk into someone's house and take from them their most prized possession, it turned Rose's stomach.

'That's his book,' Rey growled, her voice low. 'I can feel it.'

'Rey,' Finn cooed. 'Rey, what are you going to do?'

'I'm going to stand next to my husband,' She told him, turning eyes that burned as bright as copper suns on him. 'I will not let him be hurt like this.'

'Rey,' Poe hissed, moving to stand next to her. 'Rey, might I remind you that you are a _Jedi_, and cannot commit murder.'

Rose watched as Rey jolted, inhaling deeply as she looked at Poe. She had that same face, that same wide-eyed, breath-stopping look that she had each time she fought with Poe since she came back to them. Rose hadn't seen that face since Ben's resurgence either because Rey had been so happy, or because Poe had not intimidated her, she couldn't say. What had Poe just said to bring that face back? That same look of… _fear_. It was fear that caused Rey to flinch back from him.

What had he said? Rose strained, watching Rey straighten herself and lift her chin. What had Poe _done? _Rey had had the Jedi morals thrown in her face before, even if they weren't correct. So what was it about Poe saying it that made her waver.

'I know the way of the Jedi,' She hissed, leaning forward so that her knees dipped into a fighting stance.

'Sweetheart,' Ben's voice called.

Rey whirled, her hair twirling around her shoulders like a cape. She was certainly prettier with her hair down, Rose observed. Ben strode forward, a leather holster in hand, his obsidian eyes hard as the Blacksmith and the Harbour Master charged forward with him, their wives moving swiftly towards their homes, turning wide eyes at the other women and children as they went.

King looked up, his eyes meeting Ben's as he strode across the plaza to his wife. Deliberately, King lifted a finger, licked it, and turned another page.

Rose inhaled, watching the plaza come to an almost standstill. King had guards, they arrived in clumps, all armed with blaster rifles and knives. As they moved forward in their fine attire, trying to remain as inconspicuous and unaware as possible, Rose noticed that Needler fishermen rushed to their boats and cast them off, some even taking women and children into their hulls as well.

This was going to be bad.

SWSWSW

Rey held her breath as Ben fastened her holster around her waist, his eyes never once leaving hers. He spoke through the Force a thousand incoherent sentences, all dipped in rage and nerves.

'We'll wait,' Rey told him, hooking her lightsabre to her belt. 'We'll be last to pay.'

He opened his mouth, most likely in rebuke, but she gestured to the Laundress rushing through the emptying streets with Edran in tow, pulling him from trying to reach out for Ben. Ben turned back to her and nodded, some of the tension releasing in his shoulders.

Rey turned to her friends. Finn and Poe were formidable fighters, not to mention that Poe had the keys to the _Captain's Canteen_ and would do everything he could to keep it from burning. Rose, on the other hand, wasn't a fighter, and given how she reacted to the attack on her ship, she wasn't going to be helpful today, either.

'Rose,' Rey cooed, taking a step forward.

'No,' Rose told her, shaking her head.

'Rose, this can get bad.'

'It will,' Ben told her, his tone as deep as it had been in many years.

The sound of that tone of voice sent shivers over Rose's body, making her look around at the plaza a second time, taking stock of everyone who seemed to be coming out of the woodwork, and those who were trying to blend into it.

'Go with Poe to the _Canteen_,' Rey told her. 'Make sure that no one sets fire to the inside.'

Rose stood from her seat on one of the public stools for the festival, her dress clinging to her leg, and nodded to Poe. He moved to lead the way, but Rose hesitated, her breathing coming slightly faster. With the help of the Force, Rey knew that she was conflicted. It wasn't because she was a fighter, or thought that there could be a diplomatic solution, they were beyond that now, it was because of Rey and how willing she was to fight alongside Ben.

'Don't lose yourself, Master Skywalker,' Rose told her softly, her gaze meeting Rey's. 'You might be married, but that lightsabre defines you.' She looked back at Ben, then back at her. 'Write a good story. You never know who's going to read it.'

'They will read of Jedi Master Solo,' Rey told her, taking a step back to stand where Ben could reach out and take her waist. 'I promise you that.'

Rose gave her one last lingering look, her feelings wary of Rey's promises, before moving off ahead of Poe, her ever turning head looking from left to right as she went. Rey's gaze turned to the clump of men gathered to protect King. She could sense among them that they knew she was some sort of prize not to be overlooked anymore.

Fury surged through Rey's limbs, sending her finger itching for her lightsabre. How dare King even think he could stand up to Ben? How dare he take hostage such a peace-seeking people, but one shift of Ben's hand quelled her fire. She looked up at him, feeling his leather armour in her open palm. He had come a long way from being Kylo Ren, he could never return to him, let alone after one day of being married. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. With his touch, she knew that he was begging her to keep him calm, to be by his side, and to not do anything foolish that would prompt him to strike out in full fury. Rey pulled him closer and rested one hand on his chest, and nodded once. His eyes ironed out their worry and softened just for her.

They stood together, watching Kings wives arrive in their fine gowns to their husband. The Second Wife wore a gaudy gold dress comprising of a thick sweetheart neckline to emphasize her hefty bust, a cut belt running over her navel held up by Kyber crystals, and small white seashells lining the overlapping skirt and hem. On her arms, she wore some of Ben's finest jewellery including pearl bracelets on thick silver cuffs, and his championed leather hoop earrings with a pearl dangling in the middle. The sight of her husband's hard work on her body made Rey want to rip it from that horrid woman's body until she lay before her in a bloody, sobbing heap.

Rey inhaled, willing herself to be calm. She turned to King's First Wife and nearly jolted. She was an older woman, more around King's age than the spoiled Second Wife, and wore a simple gold wrap dress with dangling, misshapen pearl earrings. Her hair was silver and cropped close to her neck, and she moved stiffly, as though she could not stand to be here or be associated with her husband.

Rey lowered her chin, and felt the Force around the First Wife. Pain! There was so much pain as she walked that Rey could feel it touch her hips. It wasn't arthritis, although First Wife was certainly old enough for it. It was something else… something more personal that was missing. Rey's gaze shifted to the younger wife. A baby. First Wife had never given their husband a baby. Rey shook her head; no, that wasn't the whole story. A baby had come, but it hadn't lived for very long and took with its departure the First Wife's ability to have any more.

The wives settled onto one of the bridal sofas, the First Wife a straight-backed figure, the Second Wife a lounging cat that leaned her head back to be petted by her husband. King smirked down at his young wife, then moved to his elder one and attempted to reach out and touch her. The First Wife turned her chin away, settling her hands upon her lap with a deep sigh.

Ben turned to look at the Blacksmith and the Harbour Master, each man giving a faint nod.

'Alright,' King called to the gathering crowd, 'Let's get started!'

A rush of women surged forward, starting with one or two Glitterati women. They gave their Kyber payments in bags of embroidered silk, each woman making a show of handing over their embroidered bag and declaring loudly the designs as though it was a competition to have the finest bag. The Second Wife squealed with the women at the craftsmanship of their needlework, rubbing her fingers over the delicate stitches. The First Wife looked… bored. Behind the sofa, a squat, leather-skinned creature with an advanced datapad popped his head over the backrest and held out a webbed hand for the bags, dumping their contents into a clay jar and writing the count he heard with wide, web winged ears.

After the Glitterati women pranced off, their men surged forward, grabbing their arms and dragged them through the plaza, making them glance worriedly at each other. The next to step forward was a Needler woman, the wife of the Harbour Master's First Mate. The Second Wife shot up straight on her sofa as the First Mate's Wife came forward.

'You're not next!' The Second Wife screeched, pointing a long, painted nail at her.

Beside her the First Wife began to smile. 'But she's here,' The First Wife purred.

'Fine!' The Second Wife huffed, 'Then you get to pay ten more for breaking the order!'

The First Mate's Wife lifted her chin, then in a stiff, almost mechanical motion, took her designated bag and her spare Kyber bag, and counted out ten more fragments to add to her payment bag. She looked down at the Second Wife's hand as it was held out, the girl who held it out giving her one haughty puff after agitated scoff after another. The First Mate's Wife tucked the strings of her bag into it and launched the little brown bag over the Wives' sofa so that it landed on the squat accountant's head and causing it to croak and shake its head with a confused blink. Of course, that was if one could hear over the Second Wife's screaming.

The girl wailed, shrinking into the sofa as the little bag soared over her head. Beside her, the First Wife's eyes watched it go, her smile changing from one of relief to one of amusement. She turned back to the First Mate's Wife, and winked at her.

'My darling!' King shouted, lifting his head from Ben's book.

At once, the Second Wife stopped her wails, her chest rising and falling dramatically.

'Next,' The First Wife called, her voice simple and light.

As the next woman came forward, also a Needler, Rey turned to Ben watching him turn an amused face away from the Blacksmith. The first slight had been made against King and his Second Wife, and it was an amusing one!

For an hour, Needler and Prolet women came forward with their payments, even one or two women completely out of dress code and wearing shorter skirts for fighting, and armour breastplates and one even had a helmet shielding her eyes so that the only indication that she was a woman was her skirt. They must have been the wives of pirate captains, although the armoured one looked like she could lead a roughened pirate crew herself (part of Rey wondered what her husband looked like if she wasn't the captain).

The moment the last woman scurried off clutching the remains of her purse, King closed Ben's book and the Second Wife looked up, her eyes wide.

'Hey, where're the others?' She demanded. Her eyes, green dots like smudged ferns on her face, found the Harbour Master, the Blacksmith, and Ben.

'Where's their payments?' She whined, pointing a finger. 'Their wives own prime real estate! And so does the Lomin Ale Brewer's Wife! And the Farmers!'

One by one, the men's eyes turned to Rey, taking in her willowy frame, and her new holster and lightsabre. Slowly, she dropped her hands from Ben's frame and glided across the plaza, the Force billowing around her like a cloak. She looked up at the men gathered to protect King. They scoffed when they saw her, and moved around the plaza with their eyes on Ben, Finn, and the other big men. To them, she was nothing, a bloody heap to be carried back home to recover.

Rey stopped in front of the wives, the First Wife glancing her over with an appreciative sweep, her eyes lingering longest on Rey's lightsabre while the Second Wife scowled at her, an eyebrow lifted as she tried to appear haughtier and important than her sister.

'I want to buy my husband's shop,' Rey declared.

'Who is your husband?' The Second Wife spat, raising her nose.

The First Wife scoffed, her gaze finding Ben's. Rey inhaled softly, willing the Force to keep her calm.

'The Artisan is my husband.'

'You're not his wife?' The girl sneered, resting a hand on the armrest so that her bosom could be on full display. Rey had noticed that attitude about the higher classes. The husbands had wives, but the wives didn't have husbands. In other words, the women belonged to someone, they did not own. The Second Wife belonged to King because of her youth and beauty, whereas the First Wife belonged to him because he hadn't died yet, and he likely had enough leverage against her to make it impossible for her to file for a divorce.

'I am his as much as he is mine,' Rey told her.

The First Wife lifted slightly, her smile warming Rey. She hadn't heard that level of partnership in a young person in some time! The Second Wife, however, pinched her eyebrows together and scoffed, turning to the First Wife and trying to hide her confusion. Rey was certain that this cat had never considered being anything but taken care of by her husband.

'Can I buy the shop or not?'

'Do you have collateral?' The First Wife asked, shifting in her seat.

Rey lifted her chin, feeling the Force stir around her. This was it.

'I have Kyber,' Rey told her. 'Four hundred and fifty pieces,' She untied the bag from her holster and held it up for them to see.

The Second Wife shot up straight, her green eyes calculating. That was enough for a proper-sized Prolet house or at least seven gold pieces of jewellery. To any honest merchant, the fact that Ben had cleared that in one night was good enough!

The First Wife shook her head, shooting an agitated glance to King. 'We cannot let you have it, Artisan's Wife,' She told her. 'You have no collateral.'

'I have money,' Rey told her, holding out the bag. 'Everything around here revolves around the collection of Kyber, take mine.'

'What's the problem?' Ben shouted.

'Take her Kyber!' The Blacksmith hollered.

Around the plaza, men barked their encouragement, a thickness descending over them that made the remaining few non-fighters scamper away, and the guards with blaster rifles… turn their backs on Rey entirely.

Then, like an actor assuming the stage, King made his way forward, Ben's book swaying as he walked, until he stopped in front of Rey and his wives, taking his time to admire her body from her crown to her breasts, to her holster, to her carved legs, then back up again.

In a low, clear voice, he breathed, 'The wife of Kylo Ren may buy what she wants for as long as her husband is free from the Republic.'

The words shot through Rey's chest. One call! That was all he needed to control his biggest threat! One call to the Republic letting them know that he had a high priority fugitive in his sights, and oh how high that fugitive was!

But, the Force called to Rey, urging her to examine his words. He'd said it to her, not to the plaza. King might have been overconfident in his guards, but he was also overconfident in Rey's delicate appearance. In the way she had led him to think about her! Suddenly, everything made sense! The Force had wanted not just the village, but King to see her beaten down and defeated by the Omet Gang, carried off by Ben because it made her look weak. It made her the biggest underdog perhaps in the entire parsec!

She shifted her gaze from his face to his neck where the clear Kyber hung, his own bounty won. Rey shot a hand out and used the Force to rip it from his throat. She caught it in her open palm, then threw it, propelling the clear glinting rock across the plaza, over the heads of the guards… into Ben's hands.

At once, the Blacksmith and the Harbour Master surged forward with sharp knives towards the guards, Finn following suit while Ben ducked backward, grabbing his lightsabre handle as he began freeing the Kyber crystal from its leather setting. Chaos erupted on the plaza as pirates surged forward, shouting with fists and metal weapons held high, determined to get the upper hand on those with blaster rifles.

Rey unhooked her lightsabre and ignited both ends, scissoring them around King's shoulders so that his eyes widened in surprise. The First Wife scrambled from her seat, jamming a hand between her breasts and withdrawing a small knife. She lifted the sliver of blade and slammed it with a decisive grunt into the stomach of the Second Wife who had been too fascinated by Rey's lightsabres to move.

'Call your men off,' Rey commanded, the heat of her lightsabres keeping King from looking at his wives.

The First Wife yanked the knife from the Second Wife's stomach, causing blood and shocked screams to come from the girl, before she slammed it again into the Second Wife's neck. Her screams came to a halt, her eyes wide and pleading as she stared up at First Wife.

King's face contorted, his look glancing from his wives to Rey. His fist shot out, catching Rey in the stomach causing her to stagger back and catch her breath. She made sure to stand in front of his First Wife though, her quarterstaff sabre humming in her hands. As she recovered, she could sense the First Wife stand upon the sofa, raising her bloody knife into the air.

'Your reign,' She hissed, her voice shaking with pure rage, 'Is over!'

King shifted his gaze to Rey, throwing down the book. From his jacket, he withdrew a silver handle, and ignited it. What shot from the handle was nothing like Rey had ever seen. It was meant to be a lightsabre, but it was so improperly made, it looked like a fire torch with a ribbon of red than the advanced solitary beam that Rey wielded.

The Force zinged around Rey, warning her about the unsteady laser beam. Fire could forge metal, and bake bread. She would be foolish to underestimate him like he underestimated her.

She charged forward, swinging her quarterstaff sabre down on King, but he stepped aside and flung his ribbon sabre at her. His ribbon sabre went through hers, the humming trilling angrily as they attempted to connect, and the heat came dangerously to the small of her back so much that Rey gasped and stepped away.

They rounded on each other, each sizing up the other's weapon.

'TITAN MI-LOR!'

King let out an audible croak, his eyes doubling in size. His name, Rey could feel the force telling her that Titan Mi-Lor was King's real name, one that hadn't been revealed in years, perhaps decades. His chest heaved, and he whirled around. Rey turned with him, and she gasped. Ben strode forward, his onyx eyes hard, and his red ceremonial armour stained with blood. All of that paled in comparison to the crossguard lightsabre in his hand. Rey had never seen a colour like it! She had read about the various colours that the Jedi's lightsabres could be, but the one he held was nothing like it her textbooks, she was sure of it!

Ben Solo's lightsabre was grey.

'Get away from my wife!' He bellowed.

SWSWSW

Rey held her knees in the back room of the _Captain's Canteen _BB-8 hooting softly beside her.

'And now there's going to be a big fight because King stole a book from Ben where he wrote down everything that happened to him in the World Between Worlds,' Rose told him. 'I'm sure he had one or two passages about Rey in there, too.'

Well yeah, BB-8 beeped.

'So, there's a Sith temple here?' Rose asked.

Yes, not far from here.

'Ben never said anything,' Rose told him, looking up at the bottles of empty liquor. 'Then again, he's not the chattiest guy. But Rey didn't sense it either.'

Suppose they didn't know about it? The Sith here don't look very active to me.

'Funny how the Jedi can read minds but they can't tell where Sith temples are?'

A window burst in the bar area, the shouts and sounds of blaster fire erupting in Rose's ears. She flinched, but didn't rise. She'd heard just as loud, for more danger.

What do we do? BB-8 quivered.

'So long as there's no fire, we're not going to leave this spot,' Rose declared. She reached up over her head, feeling along the counter until she found it, the knife that Poe had left for her. She gripped it, and brought it down, wrapping her arm around her knees once again.

SWSWSW

The Blacksmith, the Harbour Master, and Finn fought their way through King's guards. The Blacksmith was a heavy brawler, grabbing and punching men with one hand and grabbing and punching with the other without any regard for attacks to his own body. Finn on the other hand tackled his opponents and punched them into the ground, earning for it a swift kick to the chest and a rifle barrel to the face.

The sight of gold light nearly blinded him and the sound of the potential shooter's screams filled his ears.

Rey twirled her lightsabre and stabbed the man in the chest, pushing him back away from her friend. Her hair tangled around her shoulders, but she didn't care, she whirled back at Finn and shouted, 'Are you alright?'

Finn nodded, and shouted, 'I'm good!'

Rey turned, seeing several guards head towards the _Captain's Canteen_. She rushed forward, seeing Poe rush out with a blaster to begin shooting and fighting with anyone who attempted to come near his precious tavern. She knew she should rush over and help him. He was overwhelmed, he would soon become exhausted and might not be able to fight.

But darkness crept into her chest, bringing back a time when she had come to him when he was overwhelmed. She inhaled, and stepped back, turning instead to a guard who attempted to grab at the First Wife and haul her away. Rey bolted around the chaos, her shoes kicking up dust until she jumped, landing a solid foot on top of the sofa cushion, another on the backrest, propelling her into the air where she quickly dismantled her quarterstaff sabre into two swords and threw them beams out into the backs of the men who held the First Wife whilst Rey landed on the First Wife, both clashing to the dust in a grunting heap.

'Are you alright?' Rey asked, rolling off the woman.

She looked up, wincing as she did so.

'Who are you?'

Rey looked up and panted, 'It's about time I introduced myself.'

In the centre of the plaza, Ben raised his new lightsabre and slashed King also known as Titan Mi-Lor across the back sending him screaming to his knees, shoulders freezing backward like an eagle ready to fly.

Rey scrambled to her feet, her dress thoroughly needing a good wash and her copper crown barely hanging onto her head. She lifted a hand and tore it off, the clasp falling away at her touch.

'Hold this,' She commanded the First Wife, tossing down her crown. Rey stretched her hands out, summoning her lightsabres. They slapped into her hands, the twinge a welcome pain. She marched towards Ben and Titan Mi-Lor, the Force a whip in her hands.

Ben looked up, sweat dotting his brow, and he smirked, the one he reserved only for her. He lifted his lightsabre, and deactivated it. He took a step back, and gestured to Titan Mi-Lor as he lowered his hands to the ground and crawled, hissing in pain.

'My queen,' Ben cooed.

The chaos of the village slowed, the guards -those who were left- diffused their fights and stepped away, eyes on their boss. Rey could feel the Force surging around her, as well as the words from her texts ringing in her ears. Mercy, compassion, these were things she was supposed to offer this man on his knees.

She couldn't do it. She knew that the moment he would stand back up, it would only be to attack them again. He would aim to kill and so must she.

She lifted her lightsabre to Titan Mi-Lor's neck, causing his entire body to shiver. He peered up at her, his eyes watering. He was an old man, old who had seen a lifetime pass him. It made her stomach twist and lurch.

'Do you know who I am?' Rey asked. Her voice echoed in the plaza, the tricky sea breeze fluttering her skirt around her legs.

King huffed and swayed in front of her, then nodded.

'You are Rey Palpatine, Jedi Master.'

'Rey Solo,' She corrected. 'Jedi Master.'

A smile spread across his sweating face and his shoulders began to shiver. A chuckle started, beginning as a choke, then erupting into a full-blown shout echoed in the plaza, mocking the muted breaths of everyone around them.

'You are a Jedi,' Titan Mi-Lor guffawed. 'Then you _have_ to spare me! You cannot kill a man on his knees,' He grinned. 'It's not the Jedi way.'

Rey inhaled, fury swelling within her. She looked up at Ben, at his copper lightsabre hilt, and swallowed.

'You know you're the second man who has told me that,' She told him. 'Both men have used that to hurt me just as I was about to hurt them to save their skin. The other man learned from my mercy. You,' She shook her head and lifted her lightsabre behind her back, 'You won't.'

She brought it crashing down across his neck until his head rolled off his shoulders, his eyes forever wide with shock. His body slumped forward, dust rising in a _puff! _She stepped over the corpse, and strode to Ben, deactivating her lightsabres as she moved. She swung an arm around his head and brought him against her, their lips meeting perfectly as the village erupted in war whoops and screeches of sheer victory.

They won! King was gone!


	16. Chapter 16

_Warnings:_

_Trigger warning: sexual assault_

_NSFW_

_This is the most powerful chapter I've written yet. I would greatly appreciate any feedback or commentary for the sake of accuracy on such a strong topic as the one I have presented to you, dear readers._

Chapter 16

Silence echoed throughout the Glitterati Quarter, the inhabitants sitting tensely in their lavish homes, some petting exotic animals only available by smuggling them into Courkrus. The sea breeze swayed over the manicured lawns and fluttered through the exotic trees, shaking their non-native fruit. Then, a Glitterati child lifted her chin. A sound, a soft tapping began beating like a heart. The softness was interrupted by a flute, whistling closer than the beating. The child stood from her mother's side and wrenched open the front door inlaid with mother-of-pearl and coloured glass.

King's First Wife, her dress splattered with blood, marched proudly through the Glitterati Quarter with seemingly the entire village of The Cove shouting and dancing behind her, brandishing bloody swords, and sweating through ceremonial armour. The child was pulled inside and the door closed and locked, but the sight remained and it stained the pristine quarter with a jubilant roar that frightened the Glitterati to their core.

SWSWSW

Rey clutched Ben's hand, but that didn't stop the crowd from jostling them forward, keeping them secured from running off and staying out of the celebration. That wasn't to say that they weren't celebrating themselves, but it was the option that Rey would have liked. They were heroes! She and Ben were the liberators of a tyrant and nothing they could say would change that.

They followed King's First Wife, now affectionately known as the Widow, through the Glitterati Quarter, a place where Rey had never been before. It was the closest to Naboo she had been in months! The sprawling domed houses, the wide gardens decorated with perfuming shrubs and trees bursting with fruit! Rey looked around the crowd, trying to find Rose, yearning for her to see this quarter. But, her friend was nowhere to be found. She looked up at Ben, seeing him attempt to shield them from a downpour of fizzy drink with his arm and his book, but didn't quite manage it.

Rey grabbed her dirty skirt and hastily helped him wipe the cover down, hoping that the contents hadn't smudged. He looked up at her with a look that said, 'Thanks.

She smiled back at him and cocked her head in a way she hoped conveyed, 'You're welcome.'

Just then, a shadow loomed over them, the shadow of King's Second Wife's house. From what Rey was able to gather from the walk from the plaza to here, the Widow had been given a house smaller than this, but upon the death of their only child and the eventual loss of her fertility, King married another wife and built this sprawling mansion for the two to co-exist in. The only problem was it was to his Second Wife's gaudy expectations without a care for his First Wife's wishes. The Widow stopped before the door and breathed deeply, her shoulders heaving.

She faced the crowd, and lifted her arms, calling for silence. In a wave, the crowd's raucous celebrations hushed, waiting for their new leader's first command.

'A great victory was won today!' She called, smiling. 'I have not been this happy in many, many years!'

Whoops of triumph resounded among them, but they were short-lived as the Widow still had more to say.

'I hesitate to remind you that my… _former_ husband had a hand in arranging the annual raids upon our fair village, with an anticipated arrival happening anytime starting tomorrow to next month.'

A tension ripped through the crowd. Ben's arm around Rey's waist tightened and he glanced down at her. She smiled at him, at his protectiveness over her. Two lightsabres in their little family and he was still worried about his wife!

The Widow's smile returned with a small laugh, 'But for now, by the gods, we shall party!'

The crowd erupted in deafening roars, throwing up their hands and screaming their approval. The Widow turned and opened one door, then the other, and bowed before the crowd, letting them sweep into her lavish home.

SWSWSW

Rey held Ben's book open with one hand, her eyes absorbing as best they could the incredulous tale his immaculate handwriting had recorded. Honestly, how was his handwriting this perfect?! Was it a result of being in the World Between Worlds or had he practiced it to be this beautiful? She figured she could rip out any page and frame it and have it be the most beautiful work of art in a house as beautiful as the Widow's. Not for the first time she gasped and almost dropped the book, wrapping her arms around Ben's back, letting out a moan as he moved on top of her, his breath coming in scalding sheets upon her neck and almost reminding her of Titan Mi-Lor's ribbon sabre.

'Enjoying that?' Ben breathed into her ear, then kissed her temple and forehead, pecking her eye before kissing her lips.

She hummed a quick, 'Mhm,' and closed her eyes. She wanted to read! She wanted to know about his conversations with the Jedi Who Came Before, and with his mother, and with hers! But by the stars making love to her dashing husband was still so enjoyable it made choosing that much more difficult.

Slowly, she closed the book and shoved it under her pillow to find later. Ben seized the opportunity and clamped his hand down on her lifted arm, bringing her other one to rest her wrists on top of each other. Rey moaned, and opened her eyes, seeing his smiling face over hers. He grabbed her chin and kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth so that she almost choked. He wrenched his lips away, and his hips began moving faster, his thrust deepening, and his grunts becoming louder in her ear.

Oh no, he's not! Rey thought.

She ripped an arm away from his grasp, dug her nails into his shoulder and a foot into the bed and flipped them over so that she straddled him. She slapped his hands away, and moved her hips slowly, deliberately, making the muscle inside her stay firm for that much longer.

'Slow,' She gasped, letting him rest his hands on her thighs. 'We're going to savour this room, ah!' She inhaled, willing herself to finish speaking, 'For as long as possible!'

He chuckled, his body vibrating with his movement, and he leaned back onto the pillows watching his wife move on top of him.

The room was the Second Wife's bedroom that she shared with Titan Mi-Lor, one with doors and windows that overlooked the ocean, letting in the sun and salty sea breeze. She had been an elegant cat, having a rounded bed with a luxurious canopy overhang, a closet that was almost overflowing with dresses (Rey and Ben had ordered her dressmaker to leave the closet before taking advantage of the bed), and gold jewellery thickly encrusted with diamonds as well as Ben's fine pieces, none of which compared to the pieces he had made for Rey.

Ben sat up, tilting Rey back ever so slightly, making her legs splay out behind him. She clutched his shoulder, continuing her movement, and tried reaching back to steady herself, but he stopped her.

'I got you,' He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist, the firmness of his limbs against her back and ribs seeming to add to her pleasure. 'I got you, don't worry.'

Rey had no choice but to interlock her fingers behind his neck and move faster, bobbing in front of him as though she was drowning and he was the only float. She kissed him, her eyes open to take in the glimmers of honey that ringed his onyx eyes, catching the faintest hint of purple as well.

'Why did you come back,' She huffed, her lips touching his. 'Why did you leave the World Between Worlds?'

'For you,' He whispered. 'I was still connected to you,' He closed his eyes and let out a satisfied grunt. 'You're my dyad,' He kissed her quickly, 'My soulmate, my everything.' He opened his eyes and seized the back of her head. 'My wife!'

They kissed, their excitement growing, bobbing against one another until all at once Rey shot her head back and cried out, Ben moaning into her throat. He pulled her forward past him, laying her stomach upon the bed and her face just missing the pillow as he nestled behind her, panting oh so desperately. He'd forgotten to pace himself!

Rey pulled his arms around her, leaning into his chest so that he rested his cheek against her temple.

'I love you,' She gasped, hoping he could hear her.

He kissed her shoulder and moved back to her ear, 'I know.' He kissed her just below the ear, 'I love you, too.'

Exhaustion overwhelmed them. From their restless wedding night to the revolt, to their celebratory lovemaking just now, they hadn't rested! Ben's breathing cooled her sweating body, his inhales and exhales coming slowly, deeply. Rey fluttered her eyes shut, and was sound asleep before she knew it.

SWSWSW

Ben stirred, lifting his head. Twilight poured through the bay windows, the giant pale-yellow moon bright as it hovered over the calm ocean. Rey sat beside him, his arm slung over her waist, her nose in his book, and gentle tears sliding down her face.

'What part are you on?' He grumbled, lifting his hand and wiping his face. He had drooled in his sleep, hopefully not on Rey.

'My mother,' She answered, her tears not hindering the clarity of her words. 'She took you under her wing.'

Ben frowned, and dropped her hand. He didn't remember! Why couldn't he remember so much…

'I don't remember that,' He told her. 'I don't remember a lot of it.'

'I know,' She told him, glancing at him, 'You write about that in detail. The feeling of being at peace, of not getting hungry, or of seeking your own fulfilment. You changed so much with only one page,' She lifted the tattered book. 'You figured that the desperation of keeping your body alive took so much of your memory.'

He nodded. He remembered writing that. He shifted onto his back, adjusting the blanket over his chest and tucking an arm behind his head.

'Read it out loud,' He told her. 'See if it can jog my memory.'

She paused to wipe the tears from her eyes before flipping back a few pages and cleared her throat:

_'__I met with my grandfather several times. He was overwhelmingly pleased to meet me, first bowing to me and greeting me as 'grandson' then later as Ben. First, he asked me of my childhood, listening to me as I spoke of my upbringing on Naboo and Courisant, asking in detail about my nurse droids and how I was able to disassemble them and reassemble them back to original form. He was not displeased when I told him I had chosen the dark side, but showed little disappointment when I emphasized that I wanted to be like his Sith persona Darth Vader. He offered me comfort and wisdom when the realization dawned upon me again that I had been manipulated by our master Palpatine into becoming the very thing I disliked with the greatest passion: a puppet. _

_'__I have tried to recall my grandfather Anakin's words. I have called to him again, willing the Force to reveal to me the conversation had with perfect recall his words. All that comes to me is the feeling of his compassion and tenderness, but above all his patience. It grieves me to think that a man of his legacy held such compassion and forgiveness when my own parents did not show it to me until they saw me as their worst nightmare and only then worth rescuing.'_

Rey's words faded to silence and he looked up at her, watching the book shrink from her hands.

'What's wrong?' He asked, looking at her.

'Our children,' She breathed. She looked down at him and inhaled so deeply he could see the bones on her chest and neck. 'Our children will be in great danger from the Sith when they are born.'

A chill settled over Ben's shoulders, but he pushed it away.

'I will not let any harm come to our children, Rey,' Ben vowed, sitting up. 'I promise.'

'We must learn from this,' She told him, lowering the book even more. 'Our parents might have failed our childhoods, but they can guide our parenthood! Even our marriage.'

Warmth flowed through Ben's chest and he sat up properly.

'I agree,' He told her. 'Up to a point, that is. We haven't met our kids, yet.'

'Yes, but,' Rey turned towards him, her lovely copper eyes dancing. 'Tenderness, compassion, _listening_. Those things my mother and your grandfather have in common and I've only read ten pages!' She lifted the book and set it down on the bed. 'Ben, if you promise to tell me everything, I promise I will listen and be compassionate to your feelings and be tender in my answer.'

Ben shot up straight, his breath catching in his throat. She was serious.

'Ben?' Rey asked. 'Talk to me, tell me what you're thinking.'

'Snoke,' He blurted. He rolled his eyes and corrected with a growl, 'Palpatine. They… _he, _punished me for speaking my feelings. I was to follow, not speak.'

'He's not here anymore, Ben,' Rey breathed, reaching out and touching his face so that sheer loving warmth emitted from her hand. 'We killed him. Our very existence, our very _love_ is against Palpatine's wishes. Why stop at telling me what you really want?'

Ben looked at her, taking in the soft curve of her face, and the tail of chestnut that flowed from her scalp down her back. How he loved the thought of stroking that mane, but he had always held off on it. He felt his smile spread, her soft promise encouraging him to say:

'I really like it when you have your hair down. It makes you, even more beautiful.'

She smiled, her eyes studying his face. 'I like you in colours other than black. Black, brings back bad memories.'

'I don't know how to shop,' He chuckled. 'Black was always just the easiest thing to get.'

She giggled. 'I've always had my hair up. On Jakku, it was too hot to keep my hair down and I simply stayed with it.' She hesitated, looking away for a moment. 'I can wear it into a ponytail. Try something new.'

Ben smiled, showing her his teeth, 'I can find more colour.'

'I'd like that,' She laughed. 'I can help you.'

He kissed her, savouring her lips for only a moment before crawling out of bed (this bed was huge! He could lay on it spread eagle and still have room to wiggle around). He crossed the floor, welcoming the sea breeze on his body as he moved towards the bureau where he could imagine the Second Wife sitting for hours grooming herself. Resting on the surface was a lovely silver-handled comb, brush, and unbroken mirror.

He collected them, the silver heavy and clinking against each other as he moved back to the bed.

'Start with these,' He grinned, setting them down on the silk bedsheets. 'I don't think she'll use them anymore.'

Rey scoffed and pressed a hand to her mouth looking down at the set. Slowly, she reached out and pressed a broken nail to the silver comb. Ben picked up the brush and pushed the Second Wife's blonde hair from it, tossing it to the floor. He moved next to her, and gently took a lock of chestnut, then slowly began brushing it. She sat stock-still, a smile on her face as she felt his hands and the brush smooth out her tangled mane.

When was the last time she'd felt someone brush her hair? Ben remembered his father rustling his hair, and of course Snoke grabbing his hair and wrenching his head back to sneer at him. But Rey, how young had she been when her mother last combed and fixed her hair only for Rey to take it down for the first time? By the stars, he would make sure that if they should be blessed with a daughter, Rey would be there to dress her wedding hair when the time came.

Rey dressed in a simple dress that wrapped around her body and looked like it was made from blue mother-of-pearl found in the Second Wife's closet. Ben donned a blue shirt and grey trousers he found in Titan Mi-Lor's ridiculously small section. Rey topped her look with two things: a puffy high ponytail that trailed down her back, and seemingly every piece of jewellery Ben had ever sold the previous inhabitant. One attempt to feel the Force for her feelings made him chuckle. She was reclaiming his talent from one as despicable as the Second Wife.

Once she had secured his book and her new bush and comb in her dirty wedding dress, Ben held out his hand to her, a portion of his mind remembering Kylo Ren begging her to even look at him with love. She pranced towards him, and took his hand, her fingers sliding into his.

They walked down the elegant steps, the sight of such a mansion reminding Ben of his star destroyer many years ago with its pristine cleanliness, high arching ceilings, lights that glowed from the floors along the walls, and echoing corridors. The only difference this time was that the pirates who had been allowed in drank expensive liquor from the cellars and laughed and vomited on the fine sofas and chairs. Others took the valuable gold jewellery and other collectable smuggled goods and hurried outside to the night. The Widow herself was pinned against a wall with her lover, gritting her teeth and enjoying her newfound freedom out in the open for everyone to see.

He felt Rey stiffen beside him. She'd never seen such debauchery and to be honest, neither had Ben either as himself or as Kylo Ren. Oh, he knew what was happening on board a ship after a successful bounty, but they had some sense of decorum, unlike this lot. He hurried them through, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to block her view of the worst offenders, though he could do nothing about the smell.

They walked out into the cool evening… and were greeted by the revels of those celebrating the new Announcement Day in much the same manner as those privileged to be inside the mansion had. Ben shook his head. This sort usually waited until midnight to come out. Unanimously, they turned towards the ocean pathway, Ben leading the way down the hundred or so stone steps to the sugary sand, holding Rey's hand behind him as he went.

The moment their shoes touched the beach and their eyes swept the almost undisturbed surf, they both lifted their heads feeling it. Darkness descended upon the beach so strongly that if Ben hadn't been holding Rey's hand, he would have sworn he was Kylo Ren once again. It pierced his chest, beckoning him forward, pressing on his nerves encouraging his rage to come forward so that what smile he had melted away until he knew that his face was as expressionless as a black mask.

Rey's hand tightened in his, turning his head to her. She stared, eyes wide and lips slightly parted as her head began twitching ever so slightly as though she was trying to hear something from a distance.

'Rey!' Ben breathed, feeling the last of the Light leaving his body as he spoke. 'Rey, you can't be here.'

His rage surged within him like fuel to a flame. He shouldn't have brought her down here! He knew there was a darkness to this portion of the beach! He didn't know what it was exactly because he always stayed away from it and had no reason to come to the Glitterati beach, but now, seeing his wife shuffle towards the thick darkness, he couldn't believe he had been so naïve as to not solve this darkness before the real danger arrived. The real danger of his darkness born wife hearing the call of her people. In the recesses of his mind, the lapping of the waves shifted from innocence to the sound of Snoke's elegant gold robes sliding towards him over a pristine floor.

'What is that?' Rey murmured, stepping closer.

Ben turned back to the darkening call. He knew that emptiness. He knew that hatred, and that burning, roiling rage.

'It's the Sith,' He whispered.

'They're calling me,' Rey breathed, equal to his shoulders now, her nails digging into his hands as she leaned forward.

Light, a spark from a flintstone illuminated in Ben's core. Hope! The Force was calling to him, encouraging him to explore the call of Rey's name.

'What are they calling you?' He implored, pulling her hand to his chest feeling a glimmer of her warmth. 'Sweetheart, what are they calling you?'

She inhaled, her ponytail shredding in the sea breeze.

'They're saying, "Reyviana is home."'

Ben inhaled, the light burning brighter within him.

'Who?'

Rey blinked, her foot sliding to a stop and leaving a line in the sand.

'"Reyviana,"' She repeated. She shook her head, and blinked more. 'That's not my name.'

Ben smiled, the call of the darkness receding from his face just enough to smirk. A smirk just for her.

'What is your name?' He demanded, watching her copper eyes shimmer. 'Say it. Say it out loud!'

She inhaled, her body emphasizing the movement.

'My name,' She began, but Ben interrupted her.

'Louder!' He shouted. 'Louder so that the whole galaxy can hear you!'

She blinked again, and shook her head. Ben felt it the moment it happened because it happened within him, too. Whatever chained them, whatever held them down and beckoned them forward broke with the simplest _click._

'MY NAME IS REY SOLO!' She screamed. She inhaled, and clutched his chest, her eyes fixed to the darkness. 'I AM THE WIFE OF BEN SOLO! I AM A JEDI! I DO NOT BELONG TO THE SITH!'

Her voice clashed against the waves, but that was not where it was the loudest. No, Ben felt with a harsh ferocity within the Force her Wookiee roar against those who called to them. The Light had returned to her! The hope of a newfound life with him by her side!

Ben gasped, and he blinked. The image of his firm, screaming wife had shifted so quickly that he planted his feet and blinked around the beach, confused. Rey cried in front of him, her feet digging into the sand as she yanked on his hand, drawing him from the call. Her bundle of dress and comb set had been thrown down into the sand, in favour of her near-death grip on his wrist.

'Come on, Ben,' She urged. 'Come with me. Come home to me!'

He didn't want to. His first urge, his first itch was to lift his free hand and bring it down across her face. He remembered, oh did he remember the blinding fury, the insatiable hunger to kill, and the sweet release when it was done! He could do it to her. She was only strong with a lightsabre, though she could put up a decent fight. He could overpower her through years of hand-to-hand combat training. He could even drown her.

No! A thought dared to echo in his mind.

His foot slid forward, and he mashed his lips together. Rey's face was meant to be caressed. His lips were meant to be kissed by her, and her wrists to be pinned above her head. He slid his other foot forward, pain shooting up his leg as he had forgotten to bend his joints. It didn't matter! He just needed to move away from the darkness! He'd done it once before! He'd done it alone. He wasn't alone anymore.

'That's it,' She gasped, 'That's it, keep coming with me!'

He took another step, her words bringing to mind the sweet memory of her breathy voice in his ear as they made love. That was what they did together, even when not intertwined in hot passion. They made love best when they were together, seeking to make the other happy.

The sweetness turned to ash when out of nowhere, the sight of Rey shifted and he saw her kneeling on the ground before him, exhausted and soaking wet, her face filled with so much despair that he could almost smile. He didn't. Instead, he propelled his other foot to shuffle forward, his boots digging into the sand, his knees twitching to remind him of their use.

'Come to me,' Rey breathed, her face wrought with concern for her aching limbs. 'Come with me, Ben. I'm not going to leave you, and you promised me you wouldn't leave me! Remember? You promised me you wouldn't leave me.'

Had he dreamed it? Had he imagined her screaming into the night? Was it him who the Darkness wanted, again? Snoke had warned him that he had an overactive imagination. That he was prone to make up his own fantasies. That's why he took to calligraphy so well as a boy. He could make the harsh world around him come to order, the harsh words solidify in his hands.

'No,' He breathed, his voice echoing in the Force. 'Not Snoke. _Palpatine._'

Rey ran up to him and kissed him, pressing her lips to his and clutching his face with her hands. It was like the kiss she'd given him on Exegol! Her thanks to him for saving her life.

No, she wasn't grateful! She was in love! She loved him! She said so this very afternoon that she loved him, and she vowed to spend her life with him! He opened his mouth, and cupped the back of her head, stroking her long chestnut mane. She wore her hair like that because he had asked her to, and she had respected his wish.

He pulled away, leaned down, and swept her off her feet. Without a word, he strode with his bride in his arms along the beach, his heart set on their little home at the opposite end of the village. The furthest point away from the call of the Sith.

SWSWSW

Poe moved gingerly over the remnants of the revelries had the night before as he made his way down Merchants' Avenue. He, Rose, Finn, and BB-8 had stayed in the _Captain's Canteen _that night, determined to keep the place standing even as the craziness of the revolt danced around them, trying to get in, then moved on elsewhere. Now that the sun had come up, he figured it was a good a time as any to figure out what the hell happened to Rey and Ben after they had been jostled by the crowd to who-knew-where. He stepped around a body, trying not to play 'dead, alive, or otherwise' and looked up.

Ben's shop was closed, something that hadn't happened since the village found out what King had done. Perhaps that meant someone was in there?

He shrugged and trotted over, knocking on the door. Through the muted sound of his knuckles on the wood, he thought he heard a gentle moan. He looked behind him, seeing the figure of a woman tangled in hair, dress, and what could have been a man or a strand of kelp try to sit up, fail miserably and flop back down in the dust. He shook his head, suddenly reminded of the aftermath of the end of the war. There had been sentient corpses that morning as well, with Poe himself being found stark naked on his left side so that he couldn't choke on his vomit. Good times!

The door opened, revealing Ben wearing only trousers and wiping his face with a rag.

'Good morning,' Poe told him.

Ben lifted his eyes, registered that it was morning, then repeated the traditional greeting. 'Good morning.'

'What happened to you guys yesterday?' Poe asked. 'The last I saw of the two of you, you were being taken up by the crowd.'

'We were to be congratulated,' Ben half-smiled. 'We got back sometime after sundown and decided to,' He looked over Poe's shoulder and frowned, 'Eat here and hunker down for the night. Seemed safer. You guys?'

Poe opened his mouth to answer, but a movement within the shop caught his eye. His jaw dropped and his chest sputtered, reminding him to breathe. Rey stood up from her hammock bed, her head lolling onto her shoulders with a drowsy smile, wearing a copper necklace with three giant misshapen pearls falling one on top of the other between her breasts… and nothing else. Her hair draped over one shoulder, drawing his eyes to her soft breasts and carved stomach, her rounded bottom, and toned legs that seemingly stretched for miles. For what little time they had dated, Poe had not earned the right to see her in such a manner. Though, a small voice in his mind reminded him, he had seen one of her breasts one night. The last night they were a couple…

The reed curtain ripped the image away from Poe and a firm hand shoved him back, her massive husband stepping out of their home with dark eyes replacing what arousal Poe had been feeling to sheer embarrassment.

'Sorry!' He stammered. 'Sorry! So sorry!'

'You show her more respect!' Ben thundered, his voice echoing in the street.

Poe cocked his head to the right, 'She's a beauty, man.'

'She's my wife,' Ben growled, his tone dropping several octaves.

Poe pressed his hands together and looked away, noticing the scuff marks on Ben's knees. She had a better morning than he did, the voice taunted. 'A thousand apologies, Ben,' Poe stammered. 'If you could tell your wife that we are at the _Canteen_, we'd like to see you _both_ when you're ready.'

'We'll be there later,' He growled, planting his feet.

Poe issued a quick thanks and scampered away, the image of the most beautiful woman he'd ever known searing into his mind.

SWSWSW

Rey covered herself with her dress, her back hunched, and her breathing coming slowly and with practice. She wanted to reach out to the small sink, to steady herself, but the thought of being so naked again when he might see her struck her with even more fear. She trembled, unable to move even as Ben drew back the reed curtain and set his hands on her back. She could only imagine what she looked like when he saw her.

'Sweetheart, I'm sorry!' He cooed, smoothing her back. 'I forgot to close the curtain, it won't happen again!'

'He saw me,' Rey choked, eyes wide and thoughts too wide to grasp. 'He saw me.'

'Rey?' Ben asked, fingers digging into her side. 'What's wrong?'

She squeezed her eyes shut, but all she could see was his gaping face as he admired her body. The faintest hint of horror as Ben slid the curtain shut.

'Just-just hold me!'

He pulled her into his chest, forcing her to straighten, but she held her dress closed almost to the point where a more survival prone voice wondered if her dress would tear under her grip. The warmer Ben's hands were upon her body, the less she cared about him seeing her, but that didn't matter. Poe had seen her! He had an image of her entire body, not just the bit he had taken that one time. He had her intimate portions in his mind now!

'What happened between the two of you?' Ben asked, turning her to look at him. 'I thought you two were friends but…'

He trailed off, the question lingering in the air.

Rey swallowed, and she adjusted her grip on her dress. 'We were, yes.'

Ben waited, giving her his undivided attention. There was no backing away, his arms around her comforted her and his eyes were soft searching for the truth. She sighed, her breath coming out in a broken huff.

'I tried… to move on,' She told him. 'After you… I tried.'

He nodded, encouraging her.

'Okay.'

She inhaled, aware that she had begun trembling once again. But she had to tell someone! She looked at his chin and the words bubbled out of her mouth.

'People got into relationships. They got married after the war. They left, they started businesses. They used what they learned to go into jobs. I…' She shifted her weight. 'I, accepted, an offer from Poe to, court him.' She looked up, half expecting him to jolt with shock or fury. But, he didn't. He stared down at her, waiting for her to finish. No, he was waiting for her to trust herself to tell someone the truth about The Incident.

'I… _we_, dated for about a month and then some. He was nice. He was charming. He seemed to know how it went. How to date, I mean. I… I didn't.' She swallowed, her mouth suddenly so dry it was like the entirety of Jakku was in her throat. She released her grip on her dress and flexed her hands, willing herself to go on.

'I missed you. It hit all of a sudden after the war. I-I kept feeling like, you were the one I was supposed to marry let alone get to know as intimately as Poe was trying to do. I…' She inhaled, shifting her weight. 'I wanted to stop seeing him as a boyfriend. We didn't… you know, but he was moving towards that and I…' She shook her head, her breathing coming in quicker breaths. 'I told him… I wanted to stop. At the very least, slow down. I-I shouldn't have, I know that-'

'Why?' Ben breathed, hands smoothing her side. 'You were telling him what you wanted. You were being truthful.'

Rey wanted to kiss him! She wanted to push him onto their hammock and make love to him. Anything to rid herself of this moment and this memory. But his gaze held her there, his need to know what she had gone through was too powerful to do anything more.

'The fleet all but vanished after the war,' She explained. 'People we knew, people we fought with, they disappeared into the peacetime like they had never been there. Trying to re-establish the Senate was not easy if there was no one there to enforce martial law, and the soldiers seemed to forget that while the main First Order was decimated, they still had many outposts and command officers that were still armed. It was, chaos.' She shook her head, remembering that time. She had truly developed her skill with a lightsabre, then. 'But the overall year of '03 was such a massive headache to those who remained, Ben. Even I was feeling it!'

She looked up at him. His patience remained, his thumbs mindlessly caressing her sides as he listened.

'When, I told him… I felt… I felt him feel that I was abandoning him, too. I wasn't, I was still committed to seeing that the Jedi had a place amongst the Senate. But… he… snapped. He got angry.'

A shift happened in Ben's eyes. The light that glinted with calm patience evaporated suddenly and his onyx eyes hardened. His thumbs stopped halfway through their rotation, and he almost seemed to grow before her.

'He did what?'

His voice was calm, but not the one that Rey wanted. She inhaled, the sound of her breath seeming to enlarge him more.

'It was nothing,' She told him quickly. 'I-I-I could handle it.'

'Handle. What?'

His shoulders moved as he breathed, reminding Rey of the foot fan he used to blow oxygen into his forge to encourage heat. Her mouth opened and closed, but the words faded over her tongue. She had to say something! She had to calm him down! He was already mad, and she didn't want to cause trouble! It was over, Poe had apologized! He could take the sight of her so long as she never had to talk about this ever again!

'He apologized,' She told him. 'He said he was sorry.'

'For what?'

She had to tell him. He wasn't going to let her go until she told him. She had promised to talk to him so any half-truths she uttered would only set a precedent. They needed to be honest with each other.

'He… he got angry. He said things. Things I know he didn't mean, but they hurt. Then… he…' She shivered, then cursed herself for shivering.

The forge fire wasn't imaginary anymore. Ben shifted, drawing closer to her, _growing_ in front of her even as his gentle hands wrapped around her waist.

'Did he put his hands on you?'

Rey dropped her eyes to his chest, the closeness of him making her feel so warm and yet so small at the same time. It was sickening.

She nodded.

'Just his hands?'

'I can handle things myself,' She shot back, daring to look up at him for only a moment.

'Rey,' He growled, his hand moving from her waist to touch her chin, forcing her to look up at him. He was so gentle, and his face was so pleading for the truth how could she torture him? This was Ben! This was her husband! She was safest right here, in his arms.

She shook her head.

Ben gasped, the same sound as when she had stabbed him with his own lightsabre. He dropped his hand from her chin.

'He… tried to kiss me,' Her voice told him, 'We had already, but he… it wasn't… not then. He… he tore my shirt! Then he tried to touch me… He was so angry! He was so frustrated over nothing going right. He lost control. He…' She shivered, unable to keep the tears from rushing down her face. 'I fought him off. I drew – I drew my lightsabre on him. That's… that's when he stopped. That's when he realized…'

She shook her head and hugged Ben, her shoulders shivering as the tears shook her body. He wrapped his arms around her, his cheek resting on her head.

'I-I-I left,' She stammered, her lips unable to keep shut. Why couldn't she stop talking?! 'I ran away. I got in the _Falcon_ and I ran. Finn-Finn-Finn tried to call me. Tried for years. But, I-I-I…'

'You couldn't face them,' He finished, moisture leaking from his face onto her hair. 'Your family attacked you.'

Her fingers dug into his frame deeper, squeezing him like he could break. It seemed to be the only thing keeping her together.

'He said he was sorry,' She repeated, her voice somehow clear enough. 'He apologized for what he did, said it shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have done it. But… but I can't, I can't!'

'I know,' Ben cooed, swaying her softly in his arms. 'I know. I hear you.'

They wept as one, husband and wife together in their little home. Ben rubbed her back, moving his hand in long, slow sweeps down her hair and back whilst Rey cried into his chest, the weight of the last few years finally off her shoulders.

'Why did you stay?' He sobbed. 'Why did you go on a mission with him?'

'They needed the Jedi,' Rey answered, the need to think gone from her. She just wanted the truth to fall from her lips. 'They needed us and he was part of the crew that needed to be there.'

Ben lifted his head and peered down at her.

'May I kiss you?'

The tears came afresh, this time in frustration.

'Don't ask me!' She cried. '_You _don't ask me! _You… _are mine just as I am yours!'

'I don't want to hurt you.'

His words were so soft, so full of _respect!_ He honoured her hurt! Relief swelled in Rey's chest. She hadn't known what she had wanted when she told him, but having it presented to her without asking, she would take it!

'Yes,' She murmured. 'You can kiss me.'

This kiss was one of the most welcoming she had ever felt from him. He was hurt for her, but they were both so relieved to finally have told each other deep, painful truths. They had trusted one another, him with his book, her with her secret. When he pulled his lips away, they pressed their foreheads together, their union speaking a thousand words of togetherness that could never be translated into speech.

Then, Ben blinked, and the moment was over with a single, firm command:

'Stay here.'

'Where are you going?' Rey demanded, her hands falling from him regardless. 'I could handle myself!'

'I know that,' He told her, stepping away and shoving his feet into his boots, tying them with lightning quickness. 'You shouldn't have had to.'

He turned and headed out the door.

'Ben!' Rey shouted, rushing after him and halting at the door. 'Ben, he apologized!'

He whirled around, his frame so big she knew, _knew _that it wasn't her place to rebuke him.

'I know,' He told her, his voice dangerously calm. 'That doesn't make me any less angry.'

Yet, he hesitated, waiting with bated breath.

The words were on her lips. If she shouted that she didn't want him to go, she knew that he would have returned to her arms. He would do that for her, he would eat his rage and stay with her if she would only just open her mouth or give him some sort of gesture to call him back.

But, she didn't. She stayed rooted to the spot, her dress opening to the wind as she had yet to secure it. Her lips said nothing, and her hands stayed by her sides.

So, he turned, and stalked towards the beach, knowing exactly where he could find Poe Dameron.

SWSWSW

Poe heaved the heavy wooden crates onto his freshly wiped bar. BB-8 rolled around the floor, pushing wooden chairs to designated tables with his body as he moved. Rose swept the last of the glass windows and Finn came in and out of the Blacksmith's shop carrying broken wood to the forge.

'Soldier!' The Blacksmith called, skidding into view in the doorway.

Poe looked up, seeing the Blacksmith's face. At once, Poe strode towards the door and popped his head out, his movement causing Rose to stop her sweeping and BB-8 to roll towards the bar. Ben strode towards them, his face expressionless, his black eyes hard as torpedoes.

Poe knew that gait. It still haunted his worst dreams of the war.

'Solo?' Finn called, coming up to him as he neared the Blacksmith's shop.

Ben shot a hand out, the motion causing an invisible arm to punch Finn in the chest and send him back into the Blacksmith's shop, the noise echoing around the beach.

'Round them up!' The Blacksmith shouted, bolting from his spot, the sound of his voice purging fishermen and others from their nooks to look around and bolt into action. 'Round them up, let's go!'

'Oh no,' Poe breathed, the sight of the fishermen encircling the _Captain's Canteen_ making him realize what was happening. He knew. Rey had told him what he had done. He knew and he was going to make him pay for it.

The Blacksmith shot forward, blocking Ben's warpath from Poe.

'What's the meaning of this, Artie?' He demanded. 'State it! Claim your reasoning!'

Ben didn't hesitate, but he did slow his pace.

'This man hurt my wife!' He growled. 'He was in a relationship with her years ago and put his hands on her!'

The Blacksmith stiffened. He shot a look back at Poe, but inhaled and turned back to Ben.

'Is it your wife's wish that you demand justice for what was done to her? She does have a rather impressive tool on her belt.'

Ben turned back to him, his eyes so dead the other big man flinched back.

'Do you see her here?'

The Blacksmith took a step back, eyes taking in his intensity. He turned to Poe, lifted a hand, and crooked two fingers at Poe beckoning him forward.

The last thing Poe wanted was to be in the path of that charging Fathier!

'POE!' Rose's voice screamed.

Hands gripped Poe's shoulders before he could even think of what to do. He wanted to dig his heels in, but there wasn't enough room to protest with! He was shoved into a circle of men, where the only thing keeping him alive was a burly man whose sneer deepened the longer he looked at him.

'Well,' The Blacksmith grunted. 'Do you deny it?'

If ever there was a time to disappear, he would have loved to have done it now! Poe looked around, at the men who glared at him, and at his friends who tried to muscle their way through to hear what he had to say. He inhaled. This was not going to be pleasant!

'Rey and me,' He told the Blacksmith, their audience ring on tiptoe with anticipation. 'Rey and me, yeah we dated for a bit. We, we, kissed. But…' He gasped, and wiped his face again. 'She said, she wanted to stop seeing me. Said she wasn't ready. And I… I…'

'SHE TRUSTED YOU!' Ben screamed, his deep voice causing a ringing sound to echo in Poe's ears. 'You were her family!'

'I snapped, alright!' Poe screamed back. 'I acted out sheer impulse and frustration and I-I lost it! That was the first time I've ever hurt a girl, and that has been the last time because of it! I'm, SORRY!'

He turned his head, seeing Finn stare at him in horror Rose standing beside him with a similar expression. It struck Poe harder than the fear of being in that ring. Finn had all but gotten into a ship when he heard that Rey had fled in the night, he had all but killed himself trying to use what little of the Force that she had taught him. He had pushed Rose away when she was near to making progress with him. Poe had torn up their little family because he lost his temper and tried to rape her.

The Blacksmith took two steps back, his footsteps loud as he moved. Suddenly, there was nothing stopping Ben Solo, half-naked, and full of rage for his new bride.

Poe's fists shot up the second Ben's right shot out. Poe dodged it, scooting around his massive frame. Poe shot out a fist and connected it to Ben's temple, causing the big man to stagger, but it didn't do much. In fact, it seemed to hit some sort of refuel button because the next thing Poe knew, Ben reared up, shot out a leg that connected with Poe's side and knocked a generous portion of wind out of his sails.

The men around them rioted, many of them still hungover from the night before thinking this was a continuation of the celebration. Others realizing that this was the Artisan settling a score.

Poe staggered towards the docks, coughing and gripping his sides. Ben closed the distance and punched Poe across the face with one fist, then the other, dropping him to the wood panels. Poe rolled onto his stomach, and pinched his eyes closed, everything but his toes on fire.

'Poe!' Finn screamed, voice laden with worry.

'Touched my wife!' Ben bellowed, a boot two times the size of Poe's foot shooting into Poe's ribs, his toes flopping him around onto his back. 'Force yourself onto her!' The other boot blocked out the sun as it fell across the bridge of Poe's nose, shooting blood into his brown hair.

Poe writhed, gasping for air, but Ben had attacked his chest with both paws, a boulder that could have been his fist slamming over and over against his temple.

Poe's hand shot out, feeling for Ben's hair, eyebrow, eye! He jammed his thumb into Ben's eye until the big man shouted and dropped his body with an unceremonious _thump!_

Poe coughed, spitting out a clump of blood and a tooth. 'I'm…!' He gasped. 'Sorry!' Another heave that rattled his He lungs. 'I've... I haven't… done it… since… her!'

The leg that attempted to sweep across Poe's face came across as Ben thoroughly not caring.

'Give the man a breath!' The Blacksmith shouted, his voice echoing in Poe's ears.

'Stay out of this!' Ben shouted.

'Och, I am, Artisan! But there's a justified fight and then there's murder!'

Boulders fell upon Poe's chest, lifting him from the dock and shoving him back so that he staggered, unwillingly, onto the coarse sand and seemingly half a dozen hands.

'Get up, Dameron!' Ben thundered. 'Get up!'

The last thing Poe wanted to do was get up! His head, among other body parts, rang with agony, and if felt like he bled from places he didn't know he had places. He blinked, taking a moment to recognize that he was staring at the curve of Finn's boot and the sand.

'Poe!' Finn hissed, clapping an arm over his shoulders in an attempt to steady him. 'Poe, are you alright?'

Poe wiped his face, feeling more blood go on to replace what was just cleaned.

'I think I'll live.'

'Artisan's Wife!' Someone shouted.

Poe looked up blinking against the saltwater and blood seeping into his eyes. Ben stalked paces in front of him, the Blacksmith holding an arm out to him. It was like a man trying to contain a Star Destroyer. Behind the pacing jackal, a gap was formed and Rey, tall and dressed in a flowing teal dress cut to reveal her legs and tied around her neck to stretch across her breasts, her holster cinched her waist with her lightsabre gleamed, her long brown hair cascading down her back in an elegant ponytail. Her arms were crossed in front of her, and her brown eyes unyielding as they followed her husband. Ben slowed to a halt, his eyes fixed on her.

What did he see, Poe wondered. Each time he looked at her now that he knew what she'd been through, what did he see?

'Who do you fight for?' She asked suddenly, her soft voice wafting over the men.

Ben straightened, his fists clenching even tighter. He didn't speak, he merely lowered his chin, eyes meeting hers. Something, a feeling, or even a whole conversation, passed between them. _Something_ that the crowd was not privy to hear, went on between them. Whatever it was, Rey looked down at Poe, then at her husband.

'I think you're done.'

For a second, Poe honestly thought Ben was going to say something. Rebuke his wife, tell her that he'd only just gotten started. By the size of the big man's torso and fists, how they seemed to lack any sort of semblance of fatigue or battle scar, he could fight the rest of the day and well into the night. But, Ben inhaled, and extended his hand in front of him. Rey took his hand, intertwining her fingers in his, and pulled him away.

Finn pulled Poe's arm over his shoulders and guided him back into the _Captain's Canteen_, Rose following suit. BB-8 hooted from the back room, asking a thousand questions as he rolled forward.

Finn propped Poe onto a table, letting his body rest and sway in the fatigue of after a battle.

'Did you hurt her?' Finn asked. 'Did you hurt Rey?'

Poe pressed a rag Rose offered to his nose, the outward pressure welcome against the inward throbbing one.

'Yes,' He gasped. 'I hurt her.'

'What did you do?'

Poe turned in the direction of Rose's voice, the sun suddenly way too bright for him and he winced.

'I… I tried… to have sex… I got as far as tearing her shirt when she drew her lightsabre on me. I'm not proud of it. I haven't done it again because of her! I don't want to be that man again!'

He lowered the rag, seeing Finn and Rose staring at him. Finn set his jaw and shook his head.

'You bastard!'

He launched his fist into Poe's face, shooting him back onto the table. His head whacked against the wood panels, every cut in his body screaming along with the new thumping.

'Finn! That's enough! That's enough!'

Rose's screams knifed through Poe's brain, but the sight of her wrestling Finn's fist to his side was welcome.

Finn yanked his hand out of Rose's grasp, and stepped aside away from them. He shook his head and marched out the door of the tavern, slapping the air.

Rose turned back to Poe, watching him writhe on the table. She inhaled, and came close.

'How dare you?!' She hissed. 'Rey saved us! She trusted us! She trusted you! Jedi are not allowed to get married, she broke that rule for you!'

Poe did his best to sit up, the throbbing in his head making it difficult.

'She broke it, for Ben,' He corrected. 'It's always been him! She wanted to move on, but she could never forget him! I could see it every time we kissed. She flinched, she always tried pulling out of my arms. I couldn't do anything right because I couldn't be him!'

'Is that why you attacked her? You wanted her to see you and not him?'

'Yes!' Poe shouted, wincing at the sound of his own voice, the movement causing his entire body to ache. 'It was stupid, I know that now! But I was so tired of everything falling through my hands! The Resistance scattered, the Senate looked like it was about to fail again, my girlfriend was dumping me for a ghost, of the man, who tried to murder her, and who murdered countless of my friends during the war!'

Rose shook her head and scoffed. She spread her hands, gesturing to the empty tables around them.

'Look. Your audience who gives a shit applauds your sorrow.'

She dropped her hands, and walked out the door, BB-8 on her heels.

SWSWSW

Ben moved out of the forge entrance. He had applied the bacta spray, Rey could smell it from here, and he'd put a shirt on. Rey turned the fish sizzling atop the oven in an iron skillet. She'd found two in a box of groceries left for them when they returned home. She'd given Ben one look, just one, and he went inside while she prepared their meal. She'd seen him and the cook at the tavern enough times that she understood how to not kill someone with food.

He said nothing as she cooked and chopped. She didn't speak to him either. She'd said nothing as they walked home, and nothing now as they were together. It felt awkward between them, like they had arrived at a great chasm and neither knew how to cross it, but knew that they needed to get to the other side.

Rey looked up, seeing Finn, then Rose and BB-8 come around to the forge workshop, looking first at her, then at her husband.

'Why didn't you say anything?'

The question lingered in the air. Rey turned and set her hands on the work table, and exhaled.

'You hadn't believed me, when I said I loved Ben. You laughed at me,' She looked up, eyes locking on Finn. 'You said I was crazy.'

'I never said that,' Finn protested.

'Doesn't matter,' Rose interrupted. Everyone turned to look at her, watching her swallow and lift her chin. 'What mattered was what Rey was led to believe. She thought she was alone to shoulder the burden of something out of her control.' She turned to look at Rey, her eyes sending a shiver of tears to flow through her body.

'You are not alone,' She breathed.

'You never were,' Ben added.

'We're here for you,' Finn told her.

Always, BB-8 chirped.

Emotion wracked through Rey's body. A coldness in her stomach clashed with the warmth in her heart. She pressed her head to the work table, trying to hide her tears but her body shaking with tears kept her from doing so. She couldn't hide, she was too loved to be hidden away.

Ben's hand rested on hers, his other hand pulling her side close to him. She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying for seemingly the first time in five years. Other hands wrapped around her back, Finn's dark-skinned chin hovering over her eye as she opened it to peer at the newcomers. Rose hugged her too, and BB-8 lowered his head to press against her knees.

Then, something so faint she almost missed it, pressed against her stomach. The Force whispered it to her, something glimmered to life inside of her.

Rey didn't care. She closed her eyes, and inhaled the love pressed into her by her family.

_Get out. Get help. Women, men, teenagers, children. I'm here if you need help._

help/


	17. Chapter 17

_Almost... there!_

_NSFW warning._

Chapter 17

Poe awoke with a start, his first thought wondering if he was back on Naboo and this had all been a terrible dream. His head hurt! His body groaned, still feeling as though he was being pummelled by Ben. He turned his head, and let out a groan at the sight of her.

'Rey?'

She stared at him, her eyes looking over his face.

'He did a good job on you didn't he?'

Her voice echoed in his head, making him wonder if this was what she heard when she talked about hearing voices in the Force.

'I had to tell him,' She continued, not waiting for an answer. 'He's my husband. I must trust him with everything, and he must trust me.'

Poe wanted to shake his head, but he was afraid that might scramble what solids were left in his head. Instead, he asked her a question.

'Why, are you here?'

She turned away, looking out the windows to the ocean.

'Do you know what it means to forgive someone, Poe? It means permitting yourself to let go of something that hurts. Something out of your control.' She turned back to him, eyes searching his mangled frame. 'You're not the first to try to have his way with me,' She spoke at him like he was a Teedo on Jakku, unworthy of kindness. 'I built my quarterstaff when I was a child. I remember the first time I felt something crawl into my bed palette and reach for my legs. I bit him, and earned for it a slamming against the wall. I didn't care. Not about him or the others that tried after him.'

Poe practiced his breathing as he listened. He was on the floor of his bar, exactly where he had fallen from the night before. He blinked, and pulled on his leg, feeling it tug back. He lifted himself, and felt his world right itself in a sickening _snap!_

He had been chained! A manacle gripped his ankle tied to a chain that then wrapped around a table! No wonder he hadn't been able to crawl his way to any sort of comfort, he hadn't been able to move! He looked up at Rey, watching her expressionless face as she sat with her legs tucked under her, a necklace of three misshapen pearls stacked one on top of the other nearly shooting out to him as he tried to focus. If the place caught fire 'accidentally' then she was his only chance of getting out alive.

'I fought them all off,' She continued. 'Every last one until they knew I wasn't a girl they wanted to try and take advantage of.' She inhaled through her nose, nostrils flaring. In her hands, she held two objects that swirled in Poe's vision. One he knew to be bacta spray, the other…

'What did you see in me that made you think you could try and rape me?'

Poe swallowed, his throat screaming.

'Water,' He croaked, 'I need water.'

She shuffled her knees under her and pressed a lukewarm bottle to his lips. The crisp, clean water was such a relief! He gulped, his body greedy as Rey tilted and lifted the bottle, keeping him from choking. When he had drunk enough to satisfy his throat, Rey moved back and set the bottle down next to her. He blinked, the world around him coming slowly into focus.

'I've wondered about that moment.' He began, 'I've talked about it with the doctor who saw to a lot of the Resistance. You weren't, a _thing,_ Rey. In my anger, you were so many feelings made tangible, something that I could grasp. I… I wanted to hurt you for hurting me. I wanted to embarrass you for being so damn good…' He shook his head, and pressed a hand to his forehead. 'I wanted… deep down I wanted you to want me back. To stay with me no matter what.'

Rey sat there, listening. She inhaled deeply.

'I did want to stay with you, Poe. I just needed time to understand that this was the new way of life.'

'No,' He shook his head, and sat up. 'You wanted him! You wanted to make sure that Ben was really gone before you committed to me!'

'Was that so terrible?' She demanded softly. 'He meant so much to me-'

'He tried to kill you!' Poe scoffed. 'He wanted you dead! His mission for most of your lives knowing about the other -then and now- was to take you from this galaxy!'

'That wasn't your decision,' Rey told him, her voice calm. 'You don't get to decide who gets to love and for how long they get to do it.'

'Clearly,' He spat, doing his best to sit up.

'All I wanted, was more time,' She continued. 'You could have asked me to marry you after a year or so and I would have done it. You could have led me to your bed before that and I would have followed, but I needed, more time.'

Poe huffed, her words hitting him like serrated knives. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

'And if Ben showed up like he did, what then Rey Dameron?' He looked at her. 'Would you have stayed my wife, or run off to the pirate planet to be with him?'

'I would have honoured our marriage,' She told him, looking to the floorboards. 'I would have been happy knowing that he was alive and that we had a chance to be a dyad once again.' She shrugged. 'It would all have depended if we'd had children or not. I wouldn't have taken my children from their father, no matter the callings of my heart. If, however, we didn't have any… I probably would have asked for a divorce and gone to be with Ben.'

Poe closed his eyes and shook his head. No matter what he did, no matter what he said, she wasn't his! She would never be his. Only Ben's.

'Isn't that obvious, by now?' She asked, shifting on the hard floor. 'He and I were always meant to be together. If it hadn't been for Palpatine's interference, we would have met as children, and we would have had a proper courtship when I was a teenager, then married. We would have discovered our bond earlier, we would have been even stronger than we are now. But, that wasn't to be our life.' Her voice cracked as though she was ready to cry. 'We have each other now, and I'm glad of it.'

Poe opened his eyes and looked at her, pointing an unsteady finger in her direction.

'No mind-reading, that's not fair.'

She giggled, the trilling sound something he hadn't heard when they had been together. She laughed so little when they were together. Now, all Ben had to do was look at her and she could toss her head back and laugh.

'So, what now?' He asked, taking in her smile. Damn, she was beautiful!

She inhaled, looking at him. From her lap, she lifted the bacta spray and rolled it to him. He caught it, seemingly every part of his body beginning to scream for it. Rey in the meantime moved to his foot and unlocked the manacle.

'Stay away from Ben,' She told him. 'I cannot guarantee that he won't attack you again if you cross him. He says he won't but, best not bait the Rafthar. The Widow is expecting that King ordered the raid to come quickly, so we can only prepare for when that is.'

'What kind of raid?' Poe asked, turning the bacta spray and shutting his eyes as he squirted his face and head. The liquid burned! It stung his open wounds, but with a quick inhale, he could feel the throbbing of his head begin to lessen. Soon, it would be gone entirely.

'We don't know,' Rey's voice told him. 'Anything from mischief to the total annihilation of the Cove. King was vengeful, he and my grandfather would've gotten along.'

Poe winced, flexing his mouth open and closed.

'And you want to use the _Canteen_ as a stronghold?'

'No, but now that you mention it, thanks for offering.'

'Glad to be of service.'

SWSWSW

Ben was at the forge when Rey returned to the shop. Rose was in the shop lighting candles while BB-8 moved out the door to her.

Is he alright?

Rey knelt before him, and nodded.

'Yes. I gave him the spray and he'll be up and walking in a few hours.'

The men wanted to burn the tavern, did you know that?

Rey snorted a laugh.

'Yes, with him inside it. I saw the chain.'

BB-8 jolted backward, chirping his surprise. Apparently, that was too much for the little droid.

'Don't worry, I let him go.'

BB-8 rolled forward, narrowing his central sphere at her.

Why did you do it? Why did you spare him? You had the right.

Rey shook her head.

'I didn't have the right to murder him. Not here.' She looked up at the forge, knowing that Ben had seen her. 'A Jedi's first act is to show compassion and mercy. I had every right when Poe attacked me to kill him because he attacked me first and he attacked with the intent to hurt.' She inhaled deeply, 'I let him live then, because… I don't know why. I think I was just tired of losing the people I loved.

'I let him go now because… because I'm tired of being afraid of him. I'm tired of hating him, of being ashamed for not being strong enough to keep his mind from attacking me.' She inhaled, 'I forgave him, for me. So that I can move on, and move away.'

You're going to move away?

Rey smiled, and looked down at the dirt between them.

'Ben and I will have to decide on that,' She told him, looking up. 'We will have to see what it's like on Naboo for the two of us. I've been promised that school, and we don't know who is out there to recognize Ben. Or if we should tell the truth and let everything fall as it may.' She sighed. 'There's so much to consider.'

Can I go with you?

Rey chuckled, and nodded.

'Yes, you can always come with me, Beebee Ate.'

'Is he alive?'

Rey looked up, seeing Rose exit the house with a small oil lamp, Finn shaking hands with Ben before heading out himself.

'Poe's alive, though with a bit of a headache.'

'Can't believe you went to see him,' Rose told her, shifting her weight. 'Especially after this morning.'

'He's a good pilot, if anything,' Rey told her as Finn drew near. 'We will need him in the raid.'

Rose exhaled, and shook her head.

'If you say so.'

Finn flinched like he wanted to hug Rey, but stopped. Instead, he looked back at Ben as he stood in the forge workshop watching them.

'He's all yours,' Finn told Rey, jerking his thumb back at Ben.

Rey snorted, then crossed the distance and wrapped her arms around her friends.

'I love you, guys.' She told them. 'Never forget that.'

'We won't,' Rose told her.

'Not in this lifetime or the next,' Finn breathed, squeezing her back a bit tighter.

Rey smiled, then let them go. She crossed the distance to her husband, seeing him shift his weight as she came into the forge shop.

'Is it settled?' He asked, watching her.

Rey moved around the worktable, slipped her hands around his neck, and kissed him, closing her eyes and savouring the taste of his liquid warmth. He wrapped his arms under hers and lifted her inches above the ground and hobbled with her inside, stopping only when he seated her on their hammock, sending them swaying back and forth, feet dangling.

He pushed a strand of hair out of her face, studying her. He was still waiting for an answer.

She nodded. 'I've forgiven him.'

'Why?' His voice was soft, asking a genuine question than an accusation. Though she could sense the faintest hint of judgement.

'Because I'm tired of remembering it each time I see him. Not just what he did, but how defenceless it made me feel. I'm over it. I'm over him. I want to remember something sweet.'

He smirked, 'Like this morning?'

Rey giggled, unable to contain herself. 'That was something sweet-'

'That was interrupted,' He reminded her, lifting his eyebrow.

'But the door's open!'

He shot an arm out and used the Force to slam it shut, the gust of wind knocking out half of the oil lamps. His smile was still bright in the darkness.

He slid himself to the floor, eyes locked onto hers in a perpetual tease, his fingers tickling her legs as he glided her dress to her hips, and lifted a knee onto his shoulder. Rey dug her fingers into the rabbit fur bed mat and shifted her hips to his touch. She inhaled sharply at the feel of his velvety tongue exploring her flower folds, coaxing her nerves to sing within her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back onto the edge of the hammock, exhaling into the night. Outside she could hear whistles and beeps, the sound of BB-8's indignant demands to be let in and wondering if he should keep the forge burning or put it out. Ben paused, his shoulders shivering with laughter.

'Don't stop,' Rey breathed. 'Don't… mmm!'

She slipped her hands into Ben's fluffy hair, holding him down and mentally begging BB-8 to forgive them because she was not going to let him get up and he was not going to let her go so easily.

SWSWSW

For a month, they waited for the raid. It was suggested that the more experienced pirates go down and attack the Hive, but Rey was the first to step forward and shoot that idea down. Why create a problem they weren't completely sure was going to arise? The men agreed with her, but then another question came from that one:

Was there actually going to be a raid?

Finn stepped forward with Poe, offering to go into the Hive and spy on them, gathering intel as they had in the war. At once, all eyes turned to Ben who did nothing to hide his glare at Poe, but shrugged and admitted that it was a good idea. The question hung in the air as to who would guide them as Ben was clearly not volunteering to be anywhere near Poe. It was decided that one of the Harbour Master's crew, a girl named Kuri would lead the mission.

A big help to their speculations was Rose's sudden report that the Shot-Caller had not come into the radio tower roughly two weeks after Titan Mi-Lor had been dethroned. A search of her hut revealed that she had left quickly sometime the night before, leaving behind no trace of her whereabouts, though the Hive was still the only place to leave the planet.

The Widow hastily left the Cove, returning only at night with reports of her dealings. The pirate crews that patrolled the moons had been sparsely paid, the result of her ex-husband's careful cultivation of his kingdom. As a result, the Widow had to painstakingly negotiate with the pirate captains to first allow ships to come and go unharassed, and secondly to build another spaceport near the Cove which would halve their already pathetic paycheques. For that, Ben had offered to help her, but the Widow politely declined. If they were to suddenly have to leave, they would have to fight their way out and to do that Ben and Rey had to be together.

What Ben did do alongside Rey, was design quick and easy defences against anyone coming to raid them from the Hive. They oversaw trenches dug for the Omet Gang's one AT-AT crawler, ocean skimmer bombs for the newly emerging Yardu Death Gangs who liked to use the ocean as a means for surprise attacks. The Blacksmith and Finn forged chains with spikes that could stretch across the traditional entry from the Hive and Rey oversaw the security of Merchants' Avenue to the docks using heavy, metal decko pods that scraped the ocean floor and set them up using the Force where it would be most effective to use against speeder bikes.

At night, the villagers would move about as usual, though a heaviness had descended upon their peaceful home. None of the Glitterati were seen in the Prolet areas, with some of the Needler servants reporting that more and more Glitterati bosses were seen down in the Hive. To keep them safer, the Widow gave Rose and Finn the house closest to Ben's, allowing them to come and go as they needed with BB-8 delivering messages to Poe as needed.

At night, Rey and Ben would hold hands and talk about their future together. Ben was extremely nervous about returning to Naboo where it would be a lot easier to be identified, but didn't want to keep Rey from the promise of a new Jedi Academy. Rey, on the other hand, was nervous for an even more pressing reason: her blood had not come. She had been expecting it a few days before their sudden wedding, but it had yet to arrive. She had been around enough promiscuous pilots in the Resistance to know that the absence of a monthly blood cycle meant the arrival of a 'junior co-pilot' could be on the horizon.

Rey wanted a baby! And Ben was excited at the thought of a potential pregnancy, but he would hesitate just as quickly. Their child was going to be Force-sensitive, there was no doubt about that. But it was going to be a baby, with needs and demands unique to itself that would require every ounce of patience and learning that he had taught himself to understand and apply it to his offspring. Rey would soothe his worries, however. Always assuring him that he wouldn't be a single parent or that he wouldn't be the only clueless one. Neither of them lived in their parents' world, so it was impossible to get this new one wrong.

He would carry her to bed after such talks, many times to make love. He had an insatiable appetite! In the mornings, Rey would awaken to feel his arms adjusting her legs around his hips, and his kiss searching for her like morning milk. She didn't mind! She often found herself lusting after her husband's firm body, imagining his deep voice grunting in her ear and moaning at her touch. She had a trick of her own, one that she'd gently searched through the girls' minds at the Girl's Dorm for tips on. She tried it once when she knew Finn and Rose were on their way and so he couldn't carry her to their bed (the hammock had been replaced when the tents came down). She had knelt before him, unbuckled his trousers making him squirm with concern for someone seeing them. Then, quick as anything, she popped his muscle into her mouth and tugged at it with her lips and a soft bite, making his squirming stop and his head rocket back onto his shoulders, his hands gripping the work table as he huffed for dear life. It was awkward, it tasted _weird_, and before he could start breathing even heavier, she released him, fixed his trousers, and went inside, throwing a wink over her shoulder before rushing to the dry larder for a piece of bread to get the taste out of her mouth.

Searching for pleasure tips and fantasizing about her husband's touch pulled Rey from peaceful meditation in the Force. She wanted Ben to join her, but he gave her one look and they both decided that being alone overlooking the ocean away from the village was probably not the most productive idea she'd had. She shook her head, forcing herself to refocus. Again.

'Peace,' She whispered. She felt the swirling tide, the grass swaying around her like fingers, Ben's hammer falling rhythmically over the skeleton of a sword, the sweat rolling between his pectoral muscles, his hair sticking to his neck as he exhaled with each release.

Her eyes wrenched open, the Force seizing her. She stood, feeling, _knowing_ that across the Village, Ben had stopped and set his hammer down, his movement cutting off Finn from telling him something. They watched the horizon, listening to the Force. Something was coming, something dangerous.

She felt Ben bolt into a run the same moment she did. Her breath beat in his, but his voice spoke for them when he shouted, 'They're here! Man your stations! They're here!'

Rey skidded to a halt on the path, overlooking the tundra that separated the Cove from the Hive. She gasped, seeing four spacecraft hovering in the stratosphere, their paths set on them.

The life drained from her face, and her heart skipped a beat. Below, she could feel Ben skid to a halt and whirl around to her, sending a questioning feeling to her. She couldn't speak due to her heart choking her throat, and her stomach twisted so that she felt like vomiting. Ben pressed her again, his question turning desperate. She turned toward him, his body the only stillness in the village.

The raid had come. But it didn't bring renegades from the Hive set on causing mischief. It came from the Republic, and they were coming for Kylo Ren.

_Please review!_


	18. Chapter 18

_tt's the end of the road as we know it!_

_Last entry, ya'll! Tell me what you think!_

Chapter 18

Rose set her headset down with a _bang! _She had taken over the duties of the Shot-Caller and had been listening to one recorded message when she heard it. It was Rey's voice, a sharp whistle of a sound that came from inside her ears out, striking at her heart first.

_Rose, get out of the tower!_

She whirled around to the big open window, seeing them on the horizon. Six beautifully refurbished X-Wings screaming forward at full steam. Rose tore around the desk, nearly slipping on a sheaf of paper.

'Get out!' She screamed at the girls. 'They're inbound! Tower's target number one! Get out! Get out now!'

The girls didn't hesitate. With yelps of surprise, they threw down their headsets and followed Rose out of the door and hitching their skirts above their knees to run down the steps as quickly as possible. 'Hurry!' Rose screamed, hearing the incoming wails draw nearer and nearer with each step.

She burst open the door, stumbling on a rock but scrambling forward digging with her nails until she stood upright and ran forward, the villagers running to and fro securing their goods and immediate perishables.

_BOOM!_

Rose hit the ground as a sonic wave shoved her back. She clamped her hands to her ears, her body remembering this position all too well! Rubble pattered her backside, rocks falling around her. She shot a look back, and saw a pillar of fire where she had been seated placidly not five minutes before.

SWSWSW

Poe heard Ben shouting the same time his war ears heard their screams. He knew what to do, having followed BB-8's proxy messages from the Golden Couple. He bolted around the restaurant area, shouting at his waitresses (those who had returned to their shifts, that was), shouted at the patrons to run, then flicked the shutter window handles to encase the glass in two plywood shields to keep anyone seeking shelter safe.

_Boom!_

He bolted to the secondary exit, seeing the lighthouse erupt into a ball of flame.

'Rose!' He shouted.

'Do you have the droid?'

Poe flinched around, seeing Ben skid into the restaurant, his eyes wide. He was dressed for once, even had his lightsabre.

'No!' Poe told him. 'He was with you last I saw!'

'Find him!' Ben commanded. 'Widow has a telecom transceiver in her basement, maybe you can get a message to them!'

'On it!'

Poe bolted out the door, head-turning on a swivel for the small ball droid.

'Beebee Ate! Where are you buddy?!'

SWSWSW

'Rose!' Finn screamed, watching the lighthouse erupt into flame. She was alive! He could feel it, she had made it out! But they were all far from safe.

The villagers darted about, screaming at the sight of the X-Wings. The Republic! Half of these people were wanted by the Republic and the other half by people working for it, either directly or guilt by association. Finn darted forward shaking his head, BB-8 on his heels. No wonder their spy missions were a bust!

The X-Wings soared overhead, their sonic booms knocking him back off his feet. BB-8 zinged and rolled close to Finn, asking if he was alright.

'Those are our ships!' Finn gasped, ears ringing. 'Our friends are shooting at us!'

Can we call them? BB-8 whistled. Tell them to stop firing?

'We need a transceiver!' Finn told him, jumping to his feet. 'We need a ship or a single unit!'

'Finn!'

He looked up, seeing Poe bolt towards them. He had a gleam in his eye, a concerned face to be sure, but he was glad! He was back in war mode, and he knew what to do. His body still remembered it's action responses, and his first one was to find and establish communication with those in command.

'Poe,' Finn shouted, 'Where's Rose?'

'Haven't seen her!' He called, skidding to a halt and almost falling to his bottom. 'Ben says there's a transceiver at the Widow's HQ, maybe BB-8 and I can get a message out.'

'Finn!' A voice shrieked.

Finn whirled around, seeing Rose rush towards him. Her leg had been cut, a large red gash blooming on her skirt. She moved as though she hadn't noticed, and by the look on her face, she truly hadn't.

'Rose!' He shouted, ignoring Poe and bolting towards her.

Finn bolted towards her even as the X-Wing jets banked left over the ocean to come back around. She threw her arms around him the moment she saw him, and he around her. The moment her warmth pressed against his chest, their world was set right. He held her as tightly as possible, her fear washing over him and reminding him of the terror around them. From the corner of his eye, he saw Poe dash off, BB-8 on his heels.

'Come on!' He called, taking her hand and rushing them back to their hut. Ben had said that the Hivers would seek to burn the huts if they came near, but that theirs would be far enough from the main action and the Girls' Dorm to be of any interest. With the Republic they would go after the bigger buildings, assuming they didn't land Droppers. If they sent Droppers, then any range of Landing Soldiers could overrun the village and there would be a bloodbath. The pirates would not be willing to let Republic mercenaries take them alive, and if he knew Droppers, they would succeed or die trying.

Rose and Finn moved their bed aside, revealing a hole they had dug in case the roof collapsed and dropped down into it, resting on a floor dried with grass straw with the wind from a secondary crawl escape fluttering against their mat. Rose held Finn, her eyes wide as she looked up at the ceiling, hearing ships she probably worked on spit out bombs at the once peaceful Cove. Finn pressed a rag to her leg, his heart hammering in his chest.

We're going to make it! He thought, Just like in the war, we're going to make it!

SWSWSW

Rey watched, unable to breathe as the lighthouse burned. She could feel the Force warning her, reminding her of the Resistance's practices after the war. The first wave brought the X-Wings. With the second wave, came the Droppers.

'BEN!'

Her voice turned half the village, including her husband. She could do nothing but breathe, her shoulders emphasizing her movement. He turned from her, searching the sky. He took a step back when he saw the heavy transport ship hover near the plaza, closest to the cliff where Rey watched. He turned back to her, his face filled with fear. Her husband who showed little to no emotion, except for her.

Rey shook her head, her jaw opening and closing, her feelings shooting out to him. What was she to do?! She could have killed a Hiver. She could have killed a hundred Hivers! But the _Republic?_ The people she had fought beside during the war, the people she had helped to train! She gritted her teeth, her blinding fury shooting one last curse towards Titan Mi-Lor.

He had arranged it! He had researched Ben Solo and Rey Skywalker the moment he heard their names and sent word to someone, probably the Shot-Caller, to contact the Republic the moment something happened to him. The stealing of Ben's book was just confirmation, either that he had the full story when it was reported or that Rey knew who Ben was, or both.

Rey skipped down the path, her eyes on the Dropper transport. She didn't want to turn her back, as though the moment she did, Ben would disappear… She shook her head, and turned to dash off into a full sprint down the pathway. He was not going to disappear! He was too big and too fight-prone to let himself leave a wife and potential baby behind. And he loved Rey! She knew he loved her so much that he wouldn't let her go so easily as the last time.

The X-Wings flew back around, dropping bombs onto the _Captain's Canteen _and the Harbour Master's ship. The blasts made Rey's ears ring, but she didn't stop running. She couldn't stop! She brushed by people screaming and running for dear life, men and women arming themselves with a number of blasters and rifles, shooting up at the X-Wings. Their shots would not do any good, but it was the attempt that counted.

She could feel him calling to her, confidence overpowering his fear. She saw his figure move towards her, his shoulders hunched and his face narrow. He wasn't fazed by the chaos, nor was frightened by the Droppers who leaped over the side of their ship and landed into the village. He had her; he could conquer the world if only she was by his side. His grey lightsabre ignited, the hum purring against her heart. She ignited hers and lifted it over her head the same time he lifted his.

Ben cut down the man behind her, and she stabbed the first Dropper attempting to stun him. They stood upright, back-to-back, lightsabres purring around them. Each twitched their chin toward their shoulder, their dyad in the Force an iron chain at couldn't be broken.

'Master Skywalker!'

Rey turned, seeing a burly armoured Dropper lower a rifle that must have been half her weight. Rey knew her! Moira Dune, one of the fiercest non-Force sensitive soldiers Rey had ever known. They had gotten along well during the Restoration, with Moira coming to Rey countless times with questions about infiltrating new places because of her sensitivity to the Force. Now, Moira looked at her through her mask and lifted her hand so that the blast shield faded to clear, showing Rey forest green eyes.

'Didn't think I'd see you here!'

Rey inhaled, and said nothing. She had taught Moira this tactic, this talking down of a dangerous captive. Only Rey wasn't sure who was the target in this scenario.

Moira gestured to Ben with her chin. 'Thought he was dead,' She said.

'He was,' Rey answered.

'You bring him back, Master Skywalker?'

'He came back for me.'

'You believe that?' Her eyes travelled to Rey's lightsabre and fighting stance.

'We're married,' Rey told her. 'We got married a month ago. Which is when I assume reconnaissance roughly began?'

'Yep,' Moira answered. 'Got word from a good one that Kylo Ren was back in town. Rumours have been around since you left that he never really died. You just hid him. That true?'

'No,' Rey told her, sending the Force to her so that she could feel Rey's meaning. 'I only discovered Ben was alive the day we went missing. He's been proving himself to be a changed man each day since then.'

Ben's voice in the Force called to her as the X-Wings flew off once more, leaving a disturbing peace in their wake. _They've surrounded us, sweetheart._

Moira looked from Rey to Ben's back, her finger sliding to the trigger as he turned towards Moira.

'If he can prove it to you, he can prove it in court.'

Rey's upper lip curled over her teeth and she dipped even more into a fighting stance, lifting her lightsabre.

'That's a lie and you know it! Republic judge and jury will take one look at him and condemn him!'

Moira lifted her blaster rifle higher in response, her eyes hardening.

'I've seen killers go free! War criminals that should've been lined up on a wall and shot! They've walked-'

'And vigilantes took care of the job!' Rey screamed. 'I saw them, too! I cleaned up their mess! Members of the Resistance thinking they could do a better job than the courts! What are they going to do if Kylo Ren walks? How many in your own unit would let him live as a free man?'

'I'll take my chances, Master Skywalker!'

Rey swallowed, and narrowed her eyes at her.

'Do you really want to do that, Moira?'

Moira blinked, fear flooding her senses as she tried to avoid looking at Rey's lightsabre. She was going to die. Moira knew it, and so did the other Droppers. Against the two Jedi, the Droppers didn't have a chance.

'How about a trade?' Ben's voice called.

'Darling,' Rey hissed over her shoulder. What was he thinking?

'What've you got to trade, Ren?' Moira shouted.

'Emissary Tico,' He answered. He lifted his lightsabre, drawing Moira's eyes, and deactivated it, attaching it slowly to his belt.

Moira lifted her head, and gestured with her fingers to someone on Rey's left.

'Emissary's dead!'

'No,' Ben told her. 'She's alive. Her, Finn, and General Dameron. They're all alive. Rey saw them safely off the ship, I made sure they found quality of life until we could get off-world back to Naboo. Took longer than we would've liked, but they're here.'

Moira lifted her head even more, a hand leaving her blaster to touch her helmet. She looked to Ben and Rey, and dropped her hand.

'Show me the body, and we can all leave one big happy family.'

'You already heard General Dameron, what more do you want?'

'Call me a sucker for details, then.' Moira sneered. 'Emissaries go missing around here until they sent a Jedi. I want to see that change.' She looked around, seeing the Blacksmith's daughter's face peer around the corner near her father's workshop. 'You! Come out here!'

The girl flinched forward, her chin bobbing with tears too frightened to leave her eyes.

'Do you know who we're talking about? The other woman who came with this one here?' She gestured to Rey with her chin rather than her blaster, another thing Rey had taught her.

The Blacksmith's daughter nodded.

'Where is she?'

The Blacksmith's daughter shrugged, her tears coming forward at last.

'I don't know,' She blubbered. 'I knew she worked at the Lighthouse, but I don't know what happened or where anyone went before it blew up.'

'She's in her house,' Ben told her. 'The one she shares with the Spy, your father's apprentice. Please go bring her.'

He must have used the Force, because Rey never knew that girl to be so obedient, especially in distress.

Silence ensued between the Droppers and the Jedi, Rey not lowering her lightsabre. Ben touched her back, the feeling at once welcome and distracting.

'No,' Rey moaned to him, shaking her head.

'Sweetheart,' He breathed.

Ice flowed into her core as she felt his urge for her to stand down for a moment. She sighed, and deactivated her lightsabre. She whirled around and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with the same desperate passion as when she straddled him in their bed. She was not going to let them take him! They were one! They would have to take her, too! They would have to kill the Jedi if they were to kill Ben Solo formerly known as Kylo Ren. She would fight! She would fight every single one of them to death until her beloved was safe. She was not going to lose him! Not again…

His hands tightened around her waist and he wrenched her face away from his, pressing her temple into the hollow of his throat. That feeling of smallness returned to her, small and protected like a pair of knit gloves kept in a pocket for safekeeping. His fingers dug into her sides, a spot of wetness falling onto her ear. He shook, his body vibrated with the same blinding rage as when he learned that she had been assaulted. He loved her! He loved her so much that he crossed the very boundary of the living and the dead to be with her! He was not going to leave her! Not by them or by anyone else! Not again…

Footsteps echoed in their ears, the Force calling to them, announcing Poe's arrival. The sound of barking commands echoed around them, the Droppers stopping an incoming person.

'Bring him forward!' Moira commanded.

Rey turned as best she could in Ben's arms, seeing Poe stagger forward. Poe had recovered from Ben's attack, without a single trace of yellowing around his jaw. Although, he had respected the distance to a fault. The moment he saw Moira, he blossomed into the biggest relief smile Rey had seen in years.

'Moira Dune!'

Instantly, Moira turned toward him, her eyes alighting.

'How's it going, General?!'

'Not as bad as Crait, Mo! So pretty darn good!'

She let out a quick chuckle. Ben's grip on Rey didn't relinquish once.

'Heard you got grounded! How'd that happen?'

Poe looked at Ben and Rey, feelings flaring. One word. One wrong word and Moira could have them executed or separated.

'Pirates attacked our ship,' Poe told her. 'Rey and Ren got us safely on land and sustained us until now.'

'Why not call out? Why'd you take five months for us to hear from you?'

Poe shrugged. 'Everything's old school hard copy around here! Pirates trade in paper, not comms. Word of mouth not transceivers. The one radio we got was a hard-fought spoil that included taking out the local guy in charge. Even at that, I needed my droid to fix the thing first.'

'And Ren's been watching out for you?'

Again, silence ripped through the village. Rey could feel Finn's and Rose's presence as they neared.

'Yeah. Had to figure out a few things ourselves, but he pointed us in the right direction.'

'You'd vouch for him in court?'

'You taking him to court?' Poe asked, the humour in his face draining as BB-8 rolled up behind him. 'Mo, he'll never see the light of day again.'

'That's for the courts to decide! Orders are to bring him in for war crimes, terrorism, murder, the whole line up.'

Poe shot out a hand to Ben and Rey as he released her, and they ignited their lightsabres. Moira pointed her big gun to them, the other Droppers barking orders for him to stand down. The two gold beams with the grey shot fear into the Droppers, the soldiers switching their weapons from stun to kill. Whatever it took, however long they needed to do it, Rey and Ben Solo would fight and they would win because losing meant separation.

'Stop!' Rose's voice shrieked. 'Stop! Please stop!'

'Emissary's in sight!' A Dropper shouted.

'State your name!' Moira shouted, turning to see Rose limp forward, arm slung over Finn's neck. She was bleeding from her leg, crimson droplets following the sand after her.

'Rose Tico!' Rose panted, 'Emissary for the Republic, Haysian Minor!'

'Sergeant Moira Dune, 4th Battalion Dropper, Army of the Republic, at your service, ma'am!' Moira called, not lowering her weapon.

'Please!' Rose cried, sliding her arm off of Finn. 'Please, lower your weapons! They won't attack. They've… been my protectors!'

'Ren's got a price on his head, ma'am!' Moira called, not flinching. 'Orders are to bring him in!'

Rose panted, her lips dry and crackling. If she stayed much longer, she would be in worse shape than she already was. She stumbled forward, and lifted her chin.

'By order, 67, of the New Republic, the Jedi are recognized by the Senate to serve as peacekeepers and protectors of stewards of the New Republic. Under codes 191 and 192, emissaries to hostile territories may call upon the Jedi or other entities for protection to help us fulfil our mission.' Rose inhaled a deep breath, sending Finn to her hips to steady her. 'Jedi Master Rey Solo, needed help. Ben Solo, offered himself to keep us safe until such time,' She reached out a hand and grabbed Finn, her eyes swirling in her head, 'That I, fulfilled, my duty. Or returned to… the Republic.'

Moira lowered her rifle, eyes shooting to Poe.

He nodded, 'It's true. I oversaw his swearing-in, myself.'

'He's a Jedi?' Moira asked, looking at Rey.

Rey lifted her head, realizing what Poe had just done. By law, Rey was untouchable! She was a Jedi Master, therefore not prosecutable by the Army or the Senate unless by special decree, and she could take into her tutelage anyone whom she deemed worthy of it.

'If he wasn't,' Rey told Moira, her hope rising in her throat, 'I wouldn't have permitted my apprentice a lightsabre.'

Ben almost looked at her at the term _apprentice! _Ever the master in the Force, he said nothing, and did less.

Moira lifted her gun to rest on her shoulder, barrel away from them.

'We cannot arrest members of the Jedi Order, but we can ask them to accompany us to the senate. Emissary Tico, let's get you patched up. Wings up in ten!'

Finn moved forward with Rose, the Droppers at once turning on their heels to create a circle around Moira, Rose, and Finn. As one, the circle moved, Poe and BB-8 following, the eyes of the soldiers twitching left and right in case of any of the pirates came to attack them.

Rey hesitated watching them go. She turned to her husband, the breath catching in her throat. Ben looked down at her, his brows rising. They couldn't speak! Such lightness, such hope flowed between them. By law, they didn't have to go with them. They could stay here, in their little village in their little home. Rey deactivated her lightsabre… and clamped a hand to her mouth. Her stomach lurched, the need to vomit overwhelming. No! She thought fiercely. No!

Ben grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to lean over a wooden barrel. The metal ring ramming into her stomach combining with the musky smell of salt and old urine did the trick! Ben held up her ponytail and she emptied her stomach of its contents, her throat burning as she coughed up everything but…

She wiped her hand with the back of her throat, thinking as the fire scorched everything from the waist up. Ben dropped her hair, and grabbed her stomach with the same palm. The Force pulsed around them, erasing the world save for the three of them…

Their eyes met at the same time. Two sets of wide, frightened-into-excitement eyes.

Ben nodded, the choice no longer hers.

'Your book,' She cried.

He reached into his back pocket, and withdrew it, showing it to her before putting it back.

'Your jewellery,'

He lifted a finger to her chest, touching the three misshapen pearl necklace that had become her favourite. It wasn't her copper crown, nor the dozen others that he had made just for her. But it was all that they needed!

Rey looked up at him, and nodded.

The Blacksmith emerged from a hiding place, blaster rifle poised. He had a cut down his face, but he ignored it, looking to Ben awaiting orders. Ben whirled around and tossed him his ring of keys.

'All yours, JS-8657,' Ben told him.

The Blacksmith straightened, eyes wide. Then he smirked, clicked his heels together, and crossed his chest with the keys jingling.

'Long live the Supreme Leader.' A gleam shimmered in his eye that suggested to Ben and Rey that he had known for some time.

'First Order's gone,' Ben told him.

'Beaties will always stand true, sir!'

Ben smiled at him, showing him his teeth. 'Take care, my friend.'

The Blacksmith smiled back, looking away for a moment to absorb his new title before looking back at him. 'Aye, you too, sir!'

Rey took Ben's hand, taking him from the moment. Moira was not a patient woman. He swallowed, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. Together, they dashed through the streets of the Cove, running through Merchant's Village past the laundry where Edran's bright blue eyes could be seen popping around the corner, his mother's voice hissing at him to come back inside. They rushed past a fallen house where one of the couples who had gotten married with them lived with her parents, and passed a Glitterati dressmaker whose windows had been broken and her front dresses shredded.

The engines of the heavy transport ignited, Moira rushing Poe inside. She turned, and waved them in, both running up the ramp and skidding to a halt beside where Rose had been lain, Finn kneeling next to her. Moira ran onboard, punching the close doors button and sending them into a cloud of steam as they shut.

'Take a seat!' She shouted over the din of the engines whirring. 'We're star bound in five, four, three, two!' She grabbed a ballast as they rocked, almost falling onto each other.

Ben pulled Rey to a canvas seat, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he flicked his hair out of his eyes. Rey tried not to hold her breath, but she couldn't manage it. Soon, they would be pushing through the atmosphere, then into hyperspace. Then, they would be in the clutches of the Republic where they would be in for the fight of their lives.

Ben rubbed her arm with his hand, drawing her attention. She was frightened! She was so frightened for him. He lowered his chin, and sent warmth and comfort to her through the Force. He released her hand and cupped her face, then swooped down and kissed her.

What was going to happen didn't matter. They would face it as they would face every other threat to their happiness: together. As one.

SWSWSW

Naboo

Six Months Later

Rey dressed in a gown of almost pure grey silk, streaks of shimmering gold lining the hem like a painter's brush touched at the hem and dragged upwards until it faded, Her hair drawn above her head in an elegant ponytail secured by a gold comb. In the matching sleeveless cloak, she kept her lightsabre so as to keep a tight holster off her stomach. She was getting bigger, and soon would look like a child's kickball attached to a stick, but that didn't matter. Her baby had begun kicking and she couldn't stop smiling!

She turned to look beside her, and had to resist the urge to bite her lip at the sight of Ben emerging in his brand new robes. He wore a grey long sleeve tunic and matching trousers under a panelled mustard yellow vest that hung down to his knees. To top it off, he wore a long grey cloak that fell to the floor, the sleeves cut off at the elbow that hung down to his knees, and grey boots. Rey had similar robes, only her vest flared down into a longer dress, but she couldn't wear that tonight. Tonight, he was the centre of attention.

'Ready?' He breathed, looking her over and smiling.

'Yes,' She sighed.

He moved towards her, and wrapped his arms around her, her bulge coming forward in the tightened gown. He cast it a warm smile and smoothed it over with his fingertips.

'Master Solo, it's not forever.'

'No,' Rey told him, wrapping her arms around his neck. 'Just a year. But if you need anything-'

'I'll ask,' He finished, leaning forward and pressing his forehead into hers. 'Besides, it's not like you're going off-world.'

'Just across the river,' She sighed. 'Make sure you come home every night.'

'Every night,' He promised, 'So that I can have you in my arms until morning.'

She kissed him, the clicking sound of their lips pulsing together filling the dim foyer. The lights had been lowered for the ceremony, but the illuminated holopaintings shone brightly on the walls, the images of the Jedi Who Came Before standing tall with their lightsabres, and captured in mid-battle. Leia Organa Solo and Luke Skywalker were side by side, looking at each other in opposing holopaintings. To Rey, some days Luke looked placidly at his sister, like they were sharing a secret joke. Other days, he looked somewhat befuddled as Leia smirked with Ben's same smirk. Rey wanted a holopainting of Han Solo, but didn't know where to put it. She wanted their students to be inspired by the faces of those who came before, and didn't know how her father-in-law would come into play. Perhaps he could just hang out in their home across the river, overlooking the Jedi Academy as she would in the coming days.

'Come on,' She smiled, moving her hands down to his chest. 'Let's get this over with.'

'The sooner you're off your feet, the better,' Ben told her, shooting her a stern look.

Rey rolled her eyes, but knew that the midwife would be at their home in the morning to make sure that her bottom didn't leave the bed for the remainder of her pregnancy. She hadn't seen Jedi pregnancies (though she could have sworn a few 'odd' ones were), but she had seen birthing troubles due to overactive pregnant mothers and Rey had moved to the top of the class with one look. Ben tucked Rey's arm under his and covered her fingers with his other hand, then moved them down the stairs and out the massive doors that nearly brushed the roof tiles.

A crowd had gathered, there had been crowds as their students studied and practiced their stunsabres. At once, the three students dressed in traditional Jedi robes assembled before them, and bowed at the waist. Rose, dressed in her elaborate Naboo attire of a magenta pink gown that opened at her chest to expose half of her breasts and arched over her head in a delicate hood, moved away from Finn, blushing red.

They were in the midst of planning their wedding, the planning of which brought such giddiness to the two that made Rey smile and shake her head. She still felt that way when Ben would wink at her in public, sometimes breaking into giggle fits if he did it in front of their students. The Force blew a gust of wind over the crowd, making Ben turn towards them. Rose was at least two months pregnant and none the wiser. She wouldn't have nearly as much of an exciting morning sickness period as Rey had, luck be to her! Rey wanted to tell her, lest her wedding plans be ruined, but given that they wanted to get married in only six weeks, then she saw no reason to spoil the surprise.

Rose nodded to Rey, then shot her eyes across the courtyard, her hood staying firmly on her hairline. Rey and Ben tried not to look at the same time, but they could feel them regardless. They had found a loophole, one loophole in a private court session that allowed Rose to keep on her a personal guard as designated by the Jedi. So long as the Jedi had appointed him, that guard was irrefutable. So long as Rose was in some sort of office for the Republic, Ben couldn't be touched. It was when she left office or would be removed from it, that they would have problems, and those problems somehow always managed to find Rose when she attended Jedi events. No matter, she was still in office, an even more popular emissary than ever, and she wasn't going to leave that office any time soon.

Rey released Ben's arm, and stepped towards a firepit filled with kindling covering a gas line. This torch hadn't been lit, not officially as they had been given the academy while Ben was still awaiting his fate, and the students had been gathered shortly afterward. To top it off, Ben had contacted the Blacksmith back on Courkrus and asked if the Laundress, now known as Shava Kareen, would be willing to relocate with Edran to Naboo. The proud woman agreed on the condition that she would work for her room and board, and so would clean Ben and Rey's house and cook for them while Edran learned with a special tutor to coax him into learning more day-to-day activities.

Rey inhaled, looking to their students. Three months! Only three months of learning and they had developed so much. She hated leaving them, but one look back at her husband, and she knew they were in good hands.

'The time has come,' She announced, her voice echoing in the night. 'As much as it pleases me to have taught you this short time, the Force has directed me to another, more pressing task.' She paused to rub her round stomach, feeling her little one summersault at her touch. 'It is my privilege to pass on duties as Master Jedi to your new master and teacher.'

She turned, and Ben moved forward, tall and handsome in his new robes. The students bowed again before him, not a single one flinching from the sight of him. They had long gotten over that nervousness.

Ben halted before her and bowed low at the waist, his hair tousling forward.

'Ben Solo,' Rey began, 'Your actions have proven yourself worthy of the Trials of Knighthood, and have therefore called this court into session. You have succeeded in the Trial of Skills, with your knowledge of the Jedi technique proving to be exceptional. You have succeeded in the Trial of Courage, returning to Naboo where your life before turning to the Light Side of the Force proved you worthy of the hangman's noose.'

Ben almost flinched to look up at her, but he didn't. Rey continued:

'You have succeeded in the Trial of the Flesh, overcoming overwhelming torture through your training to return and uphold the values of the Jedi. You have succeeded in the Trial of the Spirit, returning to this current realm from the World Between Worlds.'

Rey inhaled, the truth settling over her. He had come back! He could have stayed with his mother, but he didn't! He chose her. Rey swallowed, this last announcement attacking her eyes.

'Lastly, you have succeeded in the Trial of Insight, coming to my side during the Battle of Exegol… seeing through the manipulations of the former Emperor Palpatine and using the dyad connection you share with me to help fight the Dark Side incarnate. To keep me from striking him in anger, and assuring me that such action was not to be made alone.'

He smiled at the floor, his feeling flaring. He would have kissed her if he could!

'In light of your accomplishments and before these witnesses gathered here, it is my honour to knight you,' She took her lightsabre from her cloak and ignited it. Slowly, she lowered it to his shoulders, the hot beam caressing one shoulder then the other. 'Ben Solo, Master Jedi!'

He stood, his pride rising with him.

'Thank you, Master Solo,' He announced.

'As such,' Rey continued, 'As my current state of health does not permit me to continue serving as Headmaster of this academy, it is my honour and duty to pass the mantle unto you should you choose to accept it.'

'It would be my honour and duty to accept, until such time that you might return to us.' Ben announced in a booming, clear voice.

'Then, by all means,' Rey smiled, stepping back and gesturing to the fire pit.

Ben turned from her, and withdrew his copper lightsabre handle. From their students, a loud gasp resonated.

Rey felt it the moment Ben froze. She turned for him, hearing more gasps resound as they began filing out of the doors. Dozens of Force Ghosts filled the space with more illuminating the inside of the academy, all glowing an eerie, iridescent blue atop flowing robes. Rey could recognize Leia and Luke, but not the tall man with long hair that covered his ears and had a scar across his eye.

_My darling._

Rey turned to look over the balcony, and gasped herself, clutching her throat at the sight of them. Her mother! And her father! They stood side-by-side looking up at her… with Han Solo! He walked up next to her father and gave her a slight wave to her before looking down at himself and giving such a massive eye-roll Rey couldn't help but laugh through her tears.

'Are those your parents?' Finn asked, looking over the edge with her.

Rey could only nod, any semblance of makeup on her face utterly ruined.

'You look just like your mom,' He commented, smiling at her.

Rey turned back to her husband, seeing his shoulders shudder and his lips mash in an attempt to keep it together. He ignited his lightsabre, the beam going right through Luke's robes. At once, the Jedi Who Came Before moved forward and placed their hands on him, resting their hands on each other if they couldn't reach. He inhaled and stole a peek at the scarred man on his left, watching him nod his approval. He looked to his right, and earned a wink from his mother.

Ben touched his lightsabre to the kindling, and the torch ignited!

As practiced, their students knelt before the torch and lowered their heads in reverence, giving obeisance to their new master. Slowly, Rey moved forward through the crowd of Jedi, feeling them leave one by one as she came forward. Ben deactivated his lightsabre and stood his family, absorbing the feeling of love and confidence, caution, and delight that they sent him.

'Darling,' Rey breathed, her tears mangling her words.

The scarred man, Anakin, jutted his chin at her in approval. Leia looked warmly on her, her hand cupping the bulge in her middle. Luke smiled at her and nodded. Ben extended his hand, and the ghosts of the past faded.

They were not alone. No matter what happened, no matter what was thrown at them, they would face it together. A united pair, as strong as life itself.

The End


End file.
